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Internet Culture/Creator Economy

The Daily Dot •

'Head in a mess': Meet the Montana Boyz, who just revived this old country hit by lip-syncing to it over and over

When it comes to a TikTok sound, its impact is usually measured by the huge number of people participating in the trend.

But this new trend by rootin’ tootin’ trio the Montana Boyz is a little different. The three committed country men, named Kaleb Campbell Winterburn, Kade Wilcox, and Mark Estes, have discovered their niche online—by repeating the same sound, over and over again.

Because why change what works, right?

The formula of their videos are pretty simple. Each and every one involves
The Daily Dot •

'No such thing as a coincidence': Kamala Harris' coconut tree trend gets deep about life

What came first, the chicken or the egg? For Kamala Harris, the answer is, quite simply, “coconut tree.” Make sense? …No? Good. That’s half the joke.

“You think you just fell out of a coconut tree?” a female voice asks. “You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you.”

It’s a puzzling, slightly convoluted turn of phrase that speaks to the intricacies of human nature—but what it’s basically saying is everything happens for a reason. Or, to quote another great meme, “
The Daily Dot •

'How life sounds': This TikTok trend is about embracing your peace—and letting go

Life as we know it can have a lot of ups and downs, but in this new TikTok sound, users are encouraging each other to embrace an existence of peace and tranquility. It’s blowing up on social media.

The sound is a dreamy mixture of nature sounds and uplifting, soulful music. It’s the kind of music that feels rich with purpose and new possibilities, so it’s no surprise that TikTokers are making this sound the soundtrack to their ideal life.

Similar to “the world if” meme, TikTokers are using thi
The Daily Dot •

'I cannot WAIT for the documentaries to come out': Woman reveals the real reason why the Vans Warped Tour ended

The Warped Tour was a rite of passage for many Tumblr-era scene kids back in the day, but its history is disturbing, to say the least. In a new viral video, which has amassed just under 1 million views, user Heaven (@k1dneytheft) emphasized that the founder Kevin Lyman’s claims that Warped ended because of a “lack of community” weren’t exactly true.

In the clip, she described how Warped Tour’s core audience was within the 14 to 25 age bracket, meaning that a lot of minors attended these shows.
The Daily Dot •

Everyone on TikTok is recreating classic arcade fighting games with this classic '80s song

For New Order, whose iconic ‘80s hit “Blue Monday” has gone viral, I have just one question: How does it feel?

Get into your fighting stance, as everyone has started squashing their beefs on TikTok with the power of … dance?

This new dance/battle trend is a real blast from the past, as TikTokers incorporate the battle stances of classic arcade fighting games while ensuring they stay on the beat with this pulsating ‘80s tune.

It involves two people simulating an argument, moving back and forth
The Daily Dot •

This viral trend is begging you for the sweet release of death

We’re all guilty of hanging on to things that are just that little bit too old, but there’s a point where enough is enough.

As Peer Gynt’s “Morning Mood” plays in the background, a nasally, feeble, and kinda pathetic voice says, “Excuse me, I need your help, you need to kill me.”

On TikTok, this sound is usually accompanied by something especially decrepit, including a “blankie” that’s just a hunk of wool; a laptop that is literally hanging on by a thread; and lots and lots of elderly, crusty
The Daily Dot •

'What's up brother?': Bros pay tribute to this niche celebrity with a surging new trend that's taken on a life of its own

If you ever needed a dog whistle for a terminally online gamer bro, look no further than “What’s up brother?” It’s the catchphrase of a beloved streamer, but now it’s so much more than a niche trend.

Sure, this is a column about TikTok sounds, but participating in the “What’s up brother?” trend is so much more than just saying the lines. It’s all about the way you say it, and the corresponding actions you must perform. “What’s up brother?” isn’t just a catchphrase—it’s a state of mind.

You hav
The Daily Dot •

'I think of you all the time, now that you're gone': Dog owners are playing this song during their baby's final hours

The relationship between a human and their dog is a bond like no other. There’s so many highs and lows that come with being a dog parent, and one of the most important moments is being represented in a new, heartbreaking trend.

The soft, folk-like strums of the guitar is accompanied by poignant lyrics like, “I think of you all the time / Now that you’re gone.”

It evokes strong, painful feelings such as loss, making it the song of choice for dog owners who were there for their pet at the end of
The Daily Dot •

'What are you doing?': This 'White Lotus' soundbite is a little bit sus

If you’ve ever texted someone you shouldn’t have, or acted in an otherwise shady way, this is the perfect trend for you.

“What are you doing?” a female voice asks, dripping with suspicion.

“Texting,” the second voice replies, just a few seconds too quickly.

To which the first voice asks: “Texting who?”

“My sister,” the second voice replies. But if we’re being honest, the response isn’t that convincing. Narrowed eyes and suspicious glances are at the heart of this TikTok sound.

TikTokers are
The Daily Dot •

'I'm actually gonna go with Jenna Ortega': The hyper-niche quote that's become a universal inside joke

The best (and equally, the worst) thing about the internet is that literally anything can become a meme. Without the confines of context, there’s no predicting what ends up becoming iconic.

And in this case, it’s Jenna Ortega. But we’re not talking about those done-to-death Wednesday dances.

“Wait… what a minute!” creator Carter Kench says, sounding pleasantly surprised by his own voice. “I didn’t think that. I didn’t think I’d be able to get this but I’m actually gonna go with Jenna Ortega!”
The Daily Dot •

'Nobody knows me like you do': This slow jam has everyone posting about their twin flame—even Kevin Bacon

Valentine’s Day might be long gone, but love is in the air with this latest TikTok sound. And this retro-inspired R&B song urges us to celebrate our loved ones.

Over an eclectic, smooth R&B soundtrack, a female voice sings: “Twin, where have you been? Nobody knows me like you do/Nobody gon’ love me quite like you.”

The vast majority of videos under this sound are a celebration of twin flames in all their forms: Whether it be romantic, in the workplace, at the barbers, your cousin, friends you
The Daily Dot •

'You are now one of my elite employees': The pro-workforce rallying cry that's not just about getting in trouble with the boss

It’s never nice when someone you know gets fired.

But what makes it worse is when you’re expected to pick up their slack without extra compensation.

Bosses are out of touch at the best of times, and that’s what this painfully relatable TikTok sound is all about.

The buzziest sound on TikTok right now features a woman saying: “We just fired the person who does that but now you have been promoted! You are now one of my elite employees.”

TikTok comedian MainlyMannie posted now-infamous video on
The Daily Dot •

'All that work and what did it get me?': This classic 'Glee' cover is making us confess our deepest resentments

Have you ever dedicated a lot of time into something before finding out your efforts were fruitless? Do you now resent the time you wasted on that thing, at a great personal cost?

If so, this TikTok sound is definitely for you.

The audio involves someone singing the line “All that work and what did it get me,” along with a swelling violin. The music helps the bitterness and resentment sound almost tangible, as TikTokers use this sound to reflect on all the time they wasted on something.

It’s
Passionfruit •

The Wonderful World of FlopTok

The beauty of FlopTok, which takes our flop era and turns it into a niche online culture, has metamorphosized over the years. What began as a subsection of low-quality, ‘Stan Twitter’ memes has become an intricate online society with its own island (Floptropia), citizens (Flops), and countless other world-building techniques that would make J. R. R. Tolkien tremble.

But what exactly is FlopTok? How can you even sum it up?

“FlopTok is a TikTok-specific form of shitposting which utilizes abstrac
The Daily Dot •

The rise and fall of Twitter’s blue tick

This story was originally published on Passionfruit.

According to Twitter CEO Elon Musk, legacy verified accounts will be a thing of the past come April 2023. “Blue ticks” in their current form will remain, but only for those who subscribed to Twitter Blue. But with Twitter Blue’s ID-based vetting process being non-existent, the loss of genuine, identity-verified legacy blue ticks means that we’ll be ushering in a new, more dangerous era of Twitter rife with misinformation and impersonation.
The Daily Dot •

'Yeah dog! We have reasonable flow': Millions of people are watching this TikToker check public faucets

A TikToker has been diligently checking whether public faucets are working for weeks. And now he’s a national treasure.

Travis Stock, who is better known as Spooky Sivart (@sivartstock) on the app, first went viral back in early August after one of his public faucet finds made its way to everyone’s FYP. Simply subtitled ‘New faucet,’ the video has amassed a huge 26.7 million views at the time of writing. Like all of his public faucet TikToks, the clip begins with him announcing to viewers that
The Daily Dot •

Discord hops on the ChatGPT train, announcing several AI features and a new 'AI incubator'

This story was originally published on Passionfruit.

Despite Discord being one of the biggest AI hubs — with more than 30 million users utilizing AI apps on the platform each month — it has been somewhat absent within the wider AI conversation. Until now.

In a Mar. 8, 2023, press event, Anjney Midha, Discord’s Vice President of Platform Ecosystem, announced a number of new AI innovations the company is working on. Apart from providing a sneak preview of new AI features to come, including an Av
The Daily Dot •

The 'Tumblrification' of social media

This story was originally published on Passionfruit.

Between the drama of an Elon Musk-run Twitter and the moral panic surrounding TikTok rotting our children’s brains, 2022 was a big year for social media. We might like to think that the two sites couldn’t be more different. After all, one is often thought of as a dancing app for Gen Z, and the other is a microblogging site where you’re encouraged to share memes, hot takes, and anything in between (except your Linktree and Instagram handle, Go
The Daily Dot •

The infantilization of autistic people on TikTok needs to stop

This story was originally published on Passionfruit.

Whenever I told somebody I was autistic, the atmosphere would instantly change. Their eyes would glaze over, their speech would slow down, and they would contort their face into a fixed, waxy smile. It wouldn’t matter if it were a teacher, peer, or even someone younger than me. As soon as the word “autism” was mentioned, any chance of being seen as an intellectual equal, or even just a fully-fledged person, would instantly vanish.

By 2019, i
The Daily Dot •

How a national baby formula shortage rocked TikTok’s community of ‘Reborn’ doll collectors

This story was originally published on Passionfruit.

There’s no better place for normalizing the unusual than TikTok. From furries to reality shifters and adult age regressors, you can find a subculture for almost every interest, regardless of how niche or offbeat it might seem. But no matter how strong these communities are, eccentric subcultures oftentimes have to put up with a lot of hate. In the case of the community of Reborn doll collectors—aka, the collectors of hyper-realistic baby doll
The Daily Dot •

From American Girl Dolls to lockdown TikTok, nostalgia is moving faster than ever—and fueling online meme culture

This story was originally published on Passionfruit.

Across social media lately, nostalgia feels inescapable; from the resurgence of Y2K and 2014 Tumblr “emo” as aesthetics and fashion trends to endless reboots of classic shows and movies. Even through our memes—the very DNA of the internet—the influence of nostalgia is pertinent. Some of the latest meme formats hone in on beloved childhood memories like the Little Miss books and American Girl dolls with, of course, Gen Z’s trademark self-aware
The Daily Dot •

Black creators say Snapchat unfairly revoked their verification status after promising to support them

This story was originally published on Passionfruit.

A number of Black influencers say they have lost income and career opportunities after Snapchat removed their verification status for actions that white influencers have purportedly gone unpunished for.

Prasuna Chekru, an influencer manager at Diversifi Talent, told Passionfruit that at least seven of her Black clients had their verification status on Snapchat—which enabled them to access monetization opportunities—removed. According to a Sn
The Daily Dot •

After Womblands threw their community into chaos, call-out creators face an existential crisis

This story was originally published on Passionfruit.

By now, the situation between TikTok creators Lance Tsosi (better known as Modern Warrior), Chelsea Hart, and Amanda Marie—in which Hart and Marie accused Tsosi of lying to them about his sexual partners in order to convince them to have unprotected sex—has been covered at-length. The controversy has been dubbed the “Womblands” saga, based on a misquoted phrase from one of Hart’s TikToks about Tsosi.

Hot takes and analysis on Womblands have
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Mashable •

The internet has turned self-care into a scam

"But I have to," he groaned through the cracks of my iPhone 4. "It’s in the name of self-care." I was sitting on the edge of my bed, staring fixated at the black mould splattering the ceiling of my third-year university house share. I’d just returned from my then-boyfriend’s house, where we were celebrating his return to our university city after spending some time in his hometown. Everything was fine in the time we spent together, but during the half-an-hour bus ride to reach my home, he had su
VICE •

How Twitter Memes and Shitposting Took Over UK Politics

“The lettuce probably wasn’t the strangest thing that happened last week,” Ed Keeble tells VICE. “It reflects the state of “The lettuce probably wasn’t the strangest thing that happened last week,” Ed Keeble tells VICE. “It reflects the state of .” As senior social video editor for Reach publications, including the Daily Star, it was Keeble who turned an off-hand comment in the Economist about having “the shelf life of lettuce” into a : complete with googly eyes, a blonde wig, and a seven-day, 2
Metro.co.uk •

Here's why bimbos are having a renaissance on TikTok

‘Are you a leftist who likes to get your t*ts out? Do you like to flick off pro-lifers? Then, this is the place for you!’

This is how Chrissy Chaplkea introduces viewers to #Bimbotok, in a video that has amassed millions of views. As reported by The Cut, the hashtag #Bimbo alone has over a billion views on TikTok.

Typically, according to the Oxford dictionary, a bimbo is defined as an ‘attractive but unintelligent or frivolous young woman’.

Throughout history, bimbos were as much adored as th
Metro.co.uk •

Are you ‘chronically online’? What it means and what to do if you are

Did you notice the Twitter outage recently?

The site was only down for approximately 35 minutes, but if, like me, you found yourself phantom-scrolling, feeling a little on edge and suddenly experiencing a fountain of relief once the hellsite came back, then I have some bad news for you.

You might be chronically online.

The term ‘chronically online’ is relatively new, but the ironic thing is that the term in itself has become viral, with TikTok tags like #chronicallyonline amassing over 80 mil
Refinery29 •

Meet Love Island's Viral Twitter Handlers

Chuka Nwabuikwu is a recent master’s graduate and the handler of former contestant Ikenna Ekwonna’s Twitter . A childhood friend of Ikenna’s, Chuka works in finance and has no formal social media management training. "This has definitely all been really unexpected. The growth has been crazy," he told Refinery29. In the past 30 days, Ikenna’s Twitter following has grown by over 63,000 and gets an average of over 2,000 new followers a day. Even after Ikenna left the villa over three weeks ago, Chu
VICE •

The Meme-ification of the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Trial

“Johnny gave us all so many memories with the movies he made. He simply deserved more.” “Johnny gave us all so many memories with the movies he made. He simply deserved more.” Scout Robert , a 24-year-old from Northern California, is one of many TikTokers who have dedicated their account to documenting the $100 million defamation case between Hollywood actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard . In court, both Depp and Heard claim that they were the abused partner, and have vehemently denied accusation
Metro.co.uk •

An oral history of pick me girls, pick me boys, and how to avoid becoming one

We’ve all seen that scene in Grey’s Anatomy, where Meredith Grey begs McDreamy to ‘pick me, choose me, love me,’ only for him to be a no-show.

For some, it is a simultaneous declaration of love and desperation so infamous that it will go down in pop culture history.

But for many, many, others, this ‘pick-me’ mindset has become a way of life. According to Urban Dictionary, being a ‘pick me’ involves doing ‘anything that will get attention and approval, including bringing other people down.’

Th
Metro.co.uk •

What does it mean to go 'goblin mode'?

Are you experiencing symptoms of ‘goblin mode’?

If you devour fistfuls of grated cheese at 4pm as your first meal of the day, have become physically fused to your dressing gown or quite literally hiss when a beam of sunlight or – God forbid – fresh air floods into your room, you might be at risk of going ‘full goblin mode’.

The term originated after Twitter user Juniper manufactured a fake headline about Kanye West’s then-girlfriend Julia Fox, an actress and model so glamorous that West report
Metro.co.uk •

2022 is the year of the 'femcel' - what you need to know

At this point, we all know about incels.

The online subculture, which is a shortening of the term ‘involuntarily celibate,’ refers to a demographic of typically straight men who claim that society has made them unable to attract a (usually female) sexual partner despite them wanting one.

Despite the concerning attitudes associated with the ‘incel’ movement, its links to violent crime and its status as an extremist group by The Southern Poverty Law Centre, the female-equivalent to ‘incel’, char
VICE •

Ever Wished You Could Be a Kid Again? For 'Age Regressors', You Can

“I was never allowed to be a kid. I always had to be the adult in my family,” says Sophie. The 28-year-old, who is based in the US, is just one of 19,000 members of the “I was never allowed to be a kid. I always had to be the adult in my family,” says Sophie. The 28-year-old, who is based in the US, is just one of 19,000 members of the r/AgeRegression subreddit : an online community for those who revert to a younger state of mind to process trauma, alleviate stress or “sometimes just for fun.”
Metro.co.uk •

What is 'dissociative feminism,' social media's new buzzword?

Cigarettes are their breakfast of choice. They look the prettiest when they’re crying and, by their own admission, they’re just that little bit ‘unhinged’: behaving erratically enough to cause alarm, but getting away with it because they do it wearing heels and their one-night-stand’s dress shirt.

These are all examples of TikTok videos where women are describing themselves living in what they call their ‘Fleabag era.’

This social media trend, which quite literally resonates with millions of w
Rolling Stone •

Viral 'Dissociative Identity Disorder' TikToker Sparks Questions About the Internet's Effect on Mental Health

“Hi, I’m Bunny.” As the smiling teenager with bubblegum pink hair smiles sweetly, waving at the camera, you’d be forgiven for thinking, for the first couple of seconds, that there’s no real reason why the video is anything remarkable. But then you meet Z. And then Oliver: followed closely by Ben, Ophelia, Malakai, Echo and various other individuals with their own pronouns, styles, accents, and mannerisms. What caused this introduction video to rack up millions of views in September was the fact
Insider •

The Black creators behind one of TikTok's most viral dances say they weren't given the same opportunities as their white counterparts


• 8 Black TikTokers were behind one of the biggest TikTok trends of 2020.
• They say they were barely credited and were not offered the same opportunities as white creators.
• TikTok has been criticized in the past for failing to address racial bias on the app.

The "Alors On Danse" trend that flooded TikTok in the summer of 2021 was the first time Usim Mang, who posted the original TikTok and formulated the now-iconic dance, met the seven other content creators featured in the video.

The TikT
Insider •

TikTokers are going viral with 'QuitTok' videos about quitting their jobs as The Great Resignation inspires social media trends


• Ex-employees are sharing their stories of quitting their jobs in a new TikTok trend.
• The tag #quitmyjob has 194.7 million views, while #iquitmyjob has 41 million views.
• The resignation rate in the US is now at a two-decade high, and is dubbed "The Great Resignation."

A TikTok subculture devoted to stories of people leaving their jobs behind has garnered hundreds of millions of views as the US sees a mass exodus of employees.

As previously reported by Insider, resignations in the US are
Insider •

TikToks about the controversial Duggar family are getting millions of views in an emerging subculture known as 'DuggarTok'


• TikTok videos about former reality TV family the Duggars are amassing millions of views.
• They recount controversies around the "19 Kids and Counting" family and followed Josh Duggar's trial.
• Josh Duggar has been convicted on child pornography charges following a seven-day trial.

A new TikTok subculture dedicated to the Duggar family exploded in popularity as Josh Duggar stood trial. A federal jury in Arkansas convicted Duggar of two counts of child pornography on Thursday.

The Duggar fa
Insider •

Resin art has become a huge TikTok trend, but 'anti-resin' backlash is growing over potential environmental impacts and health concerns


• Resin art has exploded on TikTok, with the genre racking up hundreds of millions of views.
• But a group of "anti-resin" TikTokers are flagging potential safety and environmental concerns.
• Experts explain why the resin-art trend may be doing more harm than good.

Homemade resin products have exploded in popularity on TikTok, with tags like #resinbusiness and #resinartist amassing 105.6 million and 782.7 million views respectively.

These videos show people pouring liquid resin in assorted c
Insider •

A Princess Diana Facebook group is secretly populated by Gen-Z trolls mocking 'boomers,' members say


• Members say it's been infiltrated by trolls, and the posts are mostly parodying real Diana fans.
• Experts say Diana's resurgence in popular culture may explain why people are drawn to the memes.

On Facebook, 48,000 people are part of a group titled "Princess Diana - Keep Her Memory Alive (NO TROLLS ALLOWED)." At first glance, the group seems to be a community for people to express their love for Princess Diana, sharing things they think she'd like and honoring her memory.

A deeper look at
Insider •

TikTok accounts impersonating schools to upload offensive content about teachers are cropping up in a new trend across the UK


• TikTok accounts imitating high schools are appearing across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
• Several of these accounts appear to mock and target specific teachers and students.
• The tag #schoolaccount has over 7 million TikTok views.

A new trend where people make TikTok accounts posing as high schools is spreading across the UK.

Accounts first started appearing at the end of October, with the trend continuing to grow this month. At the time of writing, TikToks under the tag #schoola
Insider •

TikTokers are reigniting the 'Twilight' fandom, with memes and trends based on the movie franchise going viral


• The "Twilight Saga" movie franchise grossed over $3 billion and built a fanbase of "Twihards."
• When the movies came to Netflix in July, they were among the most-watched films on the platform.
• "Twilight" has since exploded in popularity on TikTok through memes, parodies, and aesthetics.

"Twilight," the 2008 film adaptation of the hit vampire book series, has once again become a pop culture phenomenon. But this time, it has a Gen-Z twist thanks to multiple trends and memes spreading on Tik
Insider •

How a TikTok subculture helped me realize I have ADHD


• On TikTok, creators are sharing symptoms of ADHD in a subculture called "ADHDTok."
• Without these videos, I would never have known to seek out a doctor for an ADHD assessment.
• Women are less likely to be given ADHD diagnoses.

When it comes to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), the images that pop culture provides us are hyperactive children like Bart Simpson and Jay from "Big Mouth."

While their portrayals are at least partially accurate, research shows that ADHD in girls p
Insider •

Bad Art Friend: How a feud between two writers over a kidney donation story sparked controversy about privilege and bullying


• A feud between two writers divided social media after it was covered by the New York Times.
• Dawn Dorland and Sonya Larson's feud started when Dorland posted about secretly donating her kidney.
• Larson wrote a short story about the donation, leaving users asking: 'Who is the Bad Art Friend?'

Who is the "bad art friend?" is the question underpinning a 10,000-word New York Times piece written by Robert Kolker, which describes a years-long feud between Dawn Dorland and Sonya Larson, two Bosto
Insider •

'Couch guy' has taken over TikTok, sparking a debate about whether a college student cheated on his girlfriend


• A TikTok of a woman surprising her boyfriend at college has gotten over 50 million views.
• The video has led to viewers — and even TV shows — speculating whether the man was happy to see her.
• He's now addressed claims of "red flags" in his relationship in two TikToks of his own.

TikTok's "couch guy," who went viral after a woman posted a TikTok "surprising" him at college, has responded to viewers' speculation about his relationship.

The TikTok was posted last month by user Lauren Zarras
Insider •

Experts say we're hardwired to become fascinated with true-crime cases like Gabby Petito's


• 22-year-old Gabby Petito was reported missing on September 11 and subsequently found dead.
• The case has sparked major interest, both from news outlets and social-media users.
• Insider spoke to experts about why Petito's case spread so rapidly on social media.

Gabby Petito's disappearance and death have dominated the conversation across both traditional news outlets and social media. Her case began to unfold earlier this month when 22-year-old Petito was reported missing after her fiancé r
Insider •

The history of OnlyFans: how the controversial platform found success and changed online sex work


• OnlyFans, a membership-based platform, was founded in 2016 by British entrepreneur Timothy Stokely.
• It currently has 1.5 million content creators, which include sex workers and celebrities.
• The platform has faced several controversies recently, including their quickly-reversed porn ban.

Although it's only been around for the past five years, London-based online platform OnlyFans has quickly become a hugely lucrative website for sex workers, influencers, and celebrities looking for new wa
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