TikTok

Inside the Popularity of the Comforting Treat Banana Bread

Archie Wagner, University of Iowa

In a time when dessert possibilities are endless, why are we constantly returning to the same old staple? …

June 6, 2024

‘Ringing Bell’, Unico, and Sanrio’s Dark Beginnings

Amelie Allen, University of Arizona

Everyone loves Hello Kitty, but Sanrio’s earliest films reveal something more ominous about the company.…

June 3, 2024

7 Tinashe Songs Better than ‘Nasty’

Roberto Soto

The pop star's catalog features much more brilliant sexiness and funk.…

May 28, 2024

A yellow boy stares down a pipeline with an innocent smile on his face, eager to explore; the pipeline looks old, and grey, and rusty, the phrase "alt-right" looking almost scratched into the metal. The sun looks down with a concerned face from a clear blue sky, as white clouds give way to a dark storm front.

Alt-Right Algorithms

Vera Pavlovich, Loyola University Maryland

Despite the decrease in popularity of the original alt-right YouTube influencers, the alt-right pipeline is still alive and thriving.…

May 28, 2024

Interactions Between Audiences and Creators Heated in Watcher Situation

Cerasela Hanseter, University of California, Berkeley

In some rather recent and radical YouTube drama, fans’ backlash pushes back on YouTube channel Watcher’s decision to go rogue.…

May 20, 2024

Women’s Bodies, the 4B Movement and Eradicating Men

Mariana Vaca, Lake Forest College

Follow Us By Mariana Vaca, Lake Forest College, Illinois Subheadline: KP: 4B Movement South Korea’s 4B movement stands as a strike against men and the patriarchal system but is predominantly visible on social media…

May 19, 2024

A woman with blond hair and a white coat stands in from of a background coated in foggy textures of orange, white and pink. The background is dotted with orange stars, and to the woman's right hangs a speech bubble, containing letters that look scribbled in pencil-mark black, except for the bottom word, which is boldly highlighted in the colors of the background.

If Someone Says She’s a Lesbian, She’s a Lesbian

Archie Wagner, University of Iowa

Audiences doubt lesbian identification, often venturing into harsh scrutinization of individuals’ dating lives.…

May 7, 2024

A young man with a blue shirt and orange hair stares, nay, is transfixed by smartphone. His eyes swirl in a whirling pool of red and yellow, drool crawling down his chin as the phone's light shines brightly in his face, contrasting against the dark purple background.

Doom-Scrolling Dooms Media as We Know it

Cerasela Hanseter, University of California, Berkeley

Doom-scrolling is doing more than just ruining our attention spans: it is transforming news and media as an enterprise.…

April 21, 2024

Someone taking a picture of their young child.

Ruby Franke, 8 Passengers and Perilous Family Vlogging

Mariana Vaca, Lake Forest College

What started as a fun and parasocial trend now falls to the hands of the legal system.…

April 12, 2024

A white figure is seen approaching a black shadow-beast stretching out onto a blue background with white scratches. The beast lashes out in a hostile display, fangs bared, needle-like claws drawn and held up in a slicing gesture, whilst the white figure offers it red flowers tied in yellow paper as a sign of peace -- a perhaps healing.

Shadow Work vs. Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Uncovering Paths to Inner Growth

Sarah Erin, Brooklyn College

Is Shadow Work A Trending Phenomenon Reborn from the annals of history or a subset of Dialectical Behavior Therapy?…

March 24, 2024

The halves of two lunch trays -- one grey and one orange -- are joined, the orange containing a packaged lunch, a juice box and string cheese, while the grey holds a more natural meal: sandwiches, nuts and berries, grapes. They are divided by a diagonal cutting down the middle, bisecting the background into green on the left and blue on the right, yet each are covered in stars.

What are American Food Regulations Doing to Us?

Vera Pavlovich, Loyola University Maryland

Compared to European food regulations, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's are careless. How do their policies affect our diets?…

March 21, 2024

A set of dark brown fingers is cradled by a pair of light brown hands; the hands are painting the nails on the figure, the sharp nails being coated in a chrome-like red, appearing revitalized as yellow sparkles shine around it. An orange ring lies down the middle fingers, while the background blends into a hazy cloud of blues and purples.

The History of Nail Art: From Past Traditions to Future Innovations

Allegra Walker, University at Albany - SUNY

How has the culture and beauty standards surrounding nail art shifted and developed from 3000 B.C. to the modern day?…

March 20, 2024

Calico Cats and Littlest Pet Shop figurines dressed in dresses.

Sylvanian Drama and the Neverending Nature of LPS Popular

Amelie Allen, University of Arizona

Sylvanian Drama has become a popular TikTok account through their videos of toys playing out soap opera plots, but the roots of this content go back further than one might think.…

March 17, 2024

Reesa Teesa and Why Are Millions Asking “Who TF Did I Marry?”

Sarah Erin, Brooklyn College

In the vast sea of social media influencers, a name has recently surfaced and captivated millions of viewers across the globe—Reesa Teesa. …

March 5, 2024

Two pink hands are typing at a laptop on a purple table against a pink background littered with writings and documents. The laptop has a blue screen containing an inkwell and a sheet of paper with scribbles on it, presumably this writer's latest piece of work.

Verse in the Digital Age: A New Perception of Poetry

Sarah Erin, Brooklyn College

From Micropoems to Spoken Word, social media sites like Instagram and TikTok is redefining what it means to consume modern poetry.…

March 4, 2024

Collage of Mitski performing for a crowd.

Mitski and the Spirit of Intimate, Strange Performances

Mariana Vaca, Lake Forest College

Mitski’s 2024 “The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We” North American tour has social media users speaking about concert etiquette and performative art.…

February 26, 2024

A man in a blue gown with slick-backed hair sits on an examination table in a doctor's office adorned with diplomas, his sock adorned feet lying flat on a metal foot stool. Dr. Google is facing him, having clearly delivered terrible news based on his guarded posture, hands buried in his pockets; also, the fact that the man has broken down in tears and buried his face in his hands.

Social Media & Self-Diagnosis

Vera Pavlovich, Loyola University Maryland

With social media, awareness of symptoms of various diseases and disorders has spread rapidly, leading to a rise in self-diagnosis.…

February 23, 2024

Elmo stands in front of a grey staircase, flanked by brown walls, leading up to a set of blue doors. He is hugging an orange dolls close to his chest as he gives the audience a smile; the special kind, which is warm, and reassuring and promises you that everything will turn out all right in the end.

Elmo and Steve: “How Are You Doing?” Causes A Movement

Sarah Erin, Brooklyn College

From Sesame Street to Blue’s House, shedding light on the realities of mental health has taken center stage.…

February 23, 2024

For an article about "Hazbin Hotel," a blonde figure (Charlie) stands in a red suit jacket in front of a multi-story building that says "Hazbin Hotel" and a sign to her right that says "Welcome to Hell."

What’s the Hapz with ‘Hazbin Hotel’?

Natalie VanHecke, University of Texas at Dallas

What’s the draw to the show? Maybe a sprinkle of religious trauma?…

February 22, 2024

In this article -- about how sites like TikTok are enabling new ways of preserving memories like a digital scrapbook -- a girl with a red shirt and hair is smiling at posts on her iphone against a blended background of pink, orange and green, dotted with brown stars. A speech bubble extends from the phone, containing old photographs and hearts, representing the memories found in the posts therein.

The Rise of Digital Scrapbooking: How TikTok Makes Nostalgia Trendy

Allegra Walker, University at Albany - SUNY

How has TikTok made a universal feeling we all have become viral? How do we use this platform to commemorate milestones?…

February 19, 2024

In this article -- about how slang words like "Mommy" and "Daddy" represent decades of cultural and social development -- two shaded figures, a boy and a young man, exclaim the word "Daddy!" in front of a blue and green background with message icons on it. The boy's version is blocky and bold, with an exclamation attached; the man's is curved and luscious, hearts fluttering around it. The boy is holding his arms up in excitement, while the man is leaning on his hip in a seductive manner.

Daddy Energy and Mommy Vibes: Exploring the Evolution of Slang

Sarah Erin, Brooklyn College

Though un-noteworthy at first glance, slang words like "Mommy" and "Daddy" represent a long and fascinating cultural evolution.…

February 14, 2024

The Latin Lover Is Back and He Has A “Mustache Goatee Combo”

Roberto Soto

Your crush is a dud with a good barber and colonizer genes and your interest in him is based on a hollow perception of Latinidad. Oops! …

February 9, 2024

In this article, about how social media challenges can help users progress on important self-development goals, a purple figure is waving at a black smartphone. It casts a chalk-like blue light against the figure and the dark background, as grey stars twinkle around the space.

Follower-Farming or Self-Actualization: The Positive Side of Social Media

Santiago Rivera, Washington University in St. Louis

The growing trend of doing a daily challenge for every follower you gain. Is it selfish follower “farming” or self-improvement encouragement?…

February 9, 2024

‘You Don’t Own Me’: The Advertisement Taking TikTok By Storm

Sarah Erin, Brooklyn College

The newfound fame of an iconic song through advertising sparks conversation around sexuality. Objectification in media.…

February 8, 2024

Irish Band ‘The Cranberries’ Continues To Linger In Our Hearts

Ally Najera, California State University, Northridge

The iconic '90s Irish band continues to impact, generations later.…

February 2, 2024

Will Getting the Trendiest Bottle Make You Drink More Water?

Sophie Serage, University of Massachusetts, Boston

Stanley cups and “water recipes” have taken over the internet but people have tried to incentivize drinking water for years.…

January 25, 2024

Evolution or Devolution? The Changing Structure of Songs

Avery Heeringa, Columbia College Chicago

Over time, music has varied in length and structure. In the current digital age, where does music clock in? …

January 24, 2024

Valentine’s Day: The Horrendous Hallmark Holiday

Christine Bardos, Santa Clara University

Valentine’s Day is far from the celebration of love that it claims to be. …

January 22, 2024

TikTok’s Domestic Dream: Stay-at-Home Moms

Karla D. Galvan, The University of Texas at San Antonio

TikTok stay-at-home moms construct a narrative of domestic bliss, perfect parenting, and enviable lifestyles that shapes perceptions of modern motherhood.…

January 6, 2024