All articles tagged with #tiktok
New data from Qustodio show Australia’s 2025 ban on under-16 social media hasn’t meaningfully reduced use; teens continue to access TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, with initial dips but usage returning to pre-ban levels and 10–15-year-olds remaining highly active online, fueling ongoing debate over bans versus safeguards like Meta’s proposed under-18 limits (2 hours, overnight blocks, and school-hours restrictions).
Jennifer Love Hewitt is riding Jamie Miller’s Babydoll wave, matching his viral TikTok dance with videos and even piano clips. Miller’s upbeat track, released Aug. 7, has since drawn multiple celebrity cameos—Hewitt and Julianne Hough among them—helping him expand his audience after signing with Republic Records. As more stars join in on TikTok, Miller’s “Babydoll” moment could keep growing, with Hewitt praising the song for lifting her mood and calling Miller “light” and “magical.”
A TikTok video by Kaylyn Minute shows a dainty bow tattoo she just got; from a distance, commenters quickly read it as phallic, sparking a viral debate with nearly 2 million views. Minute says the design is part of a planned sticker-sleeve and meant to be cute, not meaningful, but the reactions highlight how differently people interpret body art, turning a simple tattoo into a humorous online moment.
BBC Verify identified dozens of TikTok videos showing dangerous driving around the Middlesbrough crash, including the death victim appearing in multiple clips. TikTok says it removes content that could lead to harm. Cleveland Police have launched a wide-scale investigation into criminal activity prior to the fatal crash; there is no evidence the footage was created for TikTok purposes.
Lipedema is a chronic, painful fat-disorder that accumulates in the lower body and is often misdiagnosed as obesity; unlike cellulite, it does not respond to weight loss and can cause swelling, bruising and mobility issues. Soraya Nodrab’s journey—from unexplained leg pain to a formal diagnosis after discovering others on TikTok—highlights how the condition is gaining visibility thanks to Doja Cat's posts and patient advocates. Treatments focus on symptom management (lymphatic drainage, compression, low-impact exercise, anti-inflammatory nutrition) and, in advanced cases, surgery, but there is no cure. The condition also takes an emotional toll, underscoring the need for better clinician awareness and support.
BuzzFeed collects 51 reader-submitted stories inspired by a viral TikTok prompt, highlighting cringe-worthy moments where people misread cues or misheard signals—ranging from asking for someone’s 'number' to other social slips—showing everyone has moments that haunt them long after the embarrassment.
Wachtell Lipton is forcing out partner Nathaniel Cullerton after a viral Central Park kiss with junior associate Kelsey Borenzweig, derailing his planned move to Gibson Dunn; Cullerton remains on leave as the firm finalizes his separation, amid broader upheaval in Wachtell’s litigation group that has also seen other partners depart for Gibson Dunn.
As Lindsay Clancy’s Massachusetts murder trial winds down, a global social-media discussion intensifies with amateur sleuths scrutinizing evidence and proposing theories, while experts warn that platform algorithms amplify sensationalism and misinformation, influencing public perception and courtroom discourse around maternal mental health.
Aura farming is a TikTok-born street competition where teens perform memes and viral gestures to earn 'aura' in front of crowds and judges. Since starting in Mexico City, the craze has spread across Latin America and into Spain, with battles built around references like Ronaldo's 'Siuuu', 'mewing' and other memes, often using props. Prizes vary from cash to bragging rights, and while supporters see it as a fun way to meet offline, critics worry about cultural decline and generational divides.
Benny Blanco posted a TikTok documenting a five-day diet of only Domino’s large thin-crust pizza, starting at 152.2 pounds and ending at 147.5 pounds (a 4.7-pound loss), with clips including time on a date with wife Selena Gomez who appears in the video.
Ellie Hamby and Sandy Hazelip—the Texas duo known as the 'traveling nanas'—have visited more than 50 countries across all seven continents, sharing their adventures on TikTok (@aroundtheworldat80) and in a memoir, proving age is no barrier to travel after starting in 2008 and finally voyaging in 2023 following the pandemic.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced that TikTok and its parent ByteDance will pay $400 million to settle COPPA violations related to children's online privacy, one of the largest recoveries under COPPA; the deal avoids admission of wrongdoing and requires ongoing privacy improvements while resolving the charges.
A TikTok-origin trend called 'aura farming' has moved from online memes to live street battles where teens perform viral gestures and references to earn 'aura'—a proxy for charisma. Competitions across Latin America and into Spain reward cash prizes or bragging rights, with showmanship and crowd reaction as key. The craze includes quirky props and references (e.g., Ronaldo’s 'Siuuu', memes, quirky gestures) and has even touched football culture (Boca Juniors) while drawing both praise for promoting face-to-face interaction and criticism for dumbing-down culture. Political backlash has also surfaced in places like Honduras.
The Justice Department announced a $400 million settlement with TikTok (and ByteDance) to dismiss claims that the platforms collected data on millions of children under 13 without parental consent and to vacate a 2019 FTC consent decree, citing substantial changes to management, ownership, and privacy practices since 2024; TikTok now operates as a U.S.-backed joint venture with ByteDance retaining about 19.9% stake, and the company has expanded safeguards, age controls, and parental oversight for younger users.
TikTok has agreed to a $400 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice, resolving a federal investigation and outlining compliance obligations for the platform.