This Week On TikTok: Government Threats, Insect Torture and Morbid Humor

A sunshiney week on a dying app.

TikTok, the most hated app of Redditors and the majority of memers, is getting roasted by the government and Gordon Ramsay. With the impending U.S. TikTok ban looming, TikTokers are turning to insect torture via syringes, macabre humor and pranking their family members. Someone rescue these poor zoomers.

Killing Flies With Syringes

The most alarming phenomenon has been widely embraced on TikTok in the last few weeks. Tiktokers are Killing Flies With Syringes. Some terribly disturbed teens film themselves using syringes to trap and squish flies and then many viewers comment that it's "satisfying." Let's hope this trend doesn't progress to bigger animals. In fact, let's just end this trend. I hate it here.

Ramsay Reacts

Surprisingly, Gordon Ramsay, famous for his harsh criticisms, is actually the most cheerful thing to happen to TikTok this week. Ramsay Reacts are TikTok promotional duets that challenged TikTokers to use the #RamsayReacts hashtag in cooking videos to get the chance of being reviewed by the chef. Of course, the Michelin star celebrity chef had very little positive things to say but it kept TikTokers mind off of the dang fly murders and TikTok ban.

I Used To Think About Death All The Time

An audio clip of humorist Anne Rasheed reviewing the book Light In The Mourning: Memoirs Of An Undertaker’s Daughter by Margo Lenmark has become a trending sound on TikTok because kids are finding the statement I Used To Think About Death All The Time hashtag relatable. Lipsyncing may be a regular activity on the platform, but this trend is a tad grotesque.

FaceTime Photo Prank

Family members of TikTokers already have a rough time dealing with their loved one's obsession with the app and, recently, these unsuspecting parents and siblings have been made the butt of a new FaceTime Photo Prank. The prank videos, which went viral on both TikTok and Twitter, implement a FaceTime Snapchat filter to add an odd or funny photo of a person to trick others into talking to it. Just another thing for parents to watch out for.

Donald Trump's Executive Order

Donald Trump has issued two executive orders under which all transactions with TikTok and WeChat will be banned in the United States in 45 days. For TikTok, the ban could still be avoided if Microsoft acquires its operations in the United States. Microsoft and ByteDance have time until September 15th to reach an agreement. In the meantime, TikTok alternatives like Triller and Instagram Reels are gearing up to the reigns. Naturally, TikTok fans are worried.