#tiktok hack 2020

[ao3screenshotss]

teacher just messaged everyone and said make sure your file isn’t corrupted when you hand it in 💀

[mariacallous]

The target is you, voter. Russia, China, Iran, and other bad actors sought to interfere in the run-up to today’s US elections, according to research by the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab), which has been monitoring online trends along with statements by governments, private companies, and civil society in its Foreign Interference Attribution Tracker. As DFRLab experts detail below, this year’s malign efforts in many ways surpass previous influence campaigns in sophistication and scope, if not in impact—and they are expected to continue well after the polls close.

Tipping the scale

“By sheer volume, foreign interference in the 2024 US election has already surpassed the scale of adversarial operations in both 2016 and 2020,” Emerson says.

Dina notes that each US adversary played to its strengths. For example, Iran and China “attempted to breach presidential campaigns in hack-and-leak operations that raise concerns about their cyber capabilities during and after the elections,” she tells us.

At the same time, the United States is more prepared than it was in previous election cycles. Russian efforts in 2016 “made foreign interference a vivid fear for millions of Americans,” Emerson notes. “Eight years later, the US government is denouncing and neutralizing these efforts, sometimes in real time.”

In fact, Graham tells us, “the combined actions by the US departments of Justice, Treasury, and State against two known Russian interference efforts was the largest proactive government action taken against election influence efforts before an election.”

Doppelgangers and down-ballot races

US officials this week called Russia “the most active threat,” and it’s easy to understand why. Emerson notes Russia’s “ten-million-dollar effort to infiltrate and influence far-right American media,” alongside the “Doppelganger” network, which has spread “tens of thousands of false stories and staged videos intended to undermine election integrity in the swing states of Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Arizona.” Increasingly desperate, Russian actors have even sought to shut down individual polling places with fake bomb threats, he adds.

Meanwhile, China has focused on “down-ballot races instead of the presidential election to target specific anti-China politicians,” Kenton explains. Using fake American personas and generative artificial intelligence, China-linked operations have appeared across more than fifty platforms. Perhaps surprisingly, Kenton adds, “attributed campaigns appeared sparingly” on the Chinese-owned platform TikTok and far more often on Facebook and X.

Faith, fakes, and falsehoods 

“The primary aim is to erode Americans’ faith in democratic institutions and heighten chaos and social division,” Kenton explains, and thus to undermine the ability of the US government to function so it will have less bandwidth to contain adversarial powers.

“Some of the fake and already debunked narratives and footage circulating before the elections will likely continue to be amplified by foreign threat actors well after November 5,” Dina predicts. Expect to see activity around the submission of certificates of ascertainment on December 11, the December 17 meeting of the electors to formally cast their votes, and through inauguration day on January 20.

And in a post-election period where the results will likely be contested, Graham thinks there’s a “high likelihood” that foreign actors will “cross a serious threshold” from pre-election attempts to broadly influence American public opinion in service of their geopolitical interests to “direct interference” by trying to mobilize Americans to engage in protests or even violence.

Nevertheless, Graham points out that the high volume of foreign-influence efforts observed during this year’s election cycle so far does not appear to have had a significant impact in terms of changing Americans’ opinions or behavior.  

The consequences of foreign disinformation, Emerson adds, should be assessed against “the far more viral, sophisticated, and dangerous election-day falsehoods that Americans spread among themselves.”

[atticus-no-uta]

I Was Catfished and Scammed By My Mother in Law

Chapter 1

So, before I begin..I know I should have NEVER entertained this as long as I should have. I know I was in the wrong, and that I'm a liar, a cheater, a prick, whatever. Whatever name you want to call me, just get it out of your system now because I am going to need you to gather whatever little bit of sympathy you have and put it towards me for now.

I was recently catfished by my mother in law.

My name is Danny, but you may know me as AlphaGoneFree on TikTok where I participate in live streaming asking my supporters to send me money, since I’m now broke because my MIL drained pretty much everything I own. You may also be wondering how I even got into this mess. This is embarrassing to admit, but I used to run a secret Instagram account where I would post reels of me eating pounds of Thai food, shitting in a cardboard box, and hotboxing myself with the smell until I would cry. I did it because the comments would be so shocking that it would give me engagement, thus giving me money. Little did I know, it was connected to my PERSONAL FaceBook account…so pretty much everyone I know saw it. Including my parents, people I went to highschool with, Ash, my ex, and Santina, my mother in law.

Shortly after my video leaks, I tried to delete all of whatever was uploaded, but it was too late. I couldn't even play it off like I was hacked because my face was in all the videos. My parents had seen them and kicked me out of the house! I couldn't live with Ash because her mother hates me and Ash needs to take care of her full time. This is humiliating to admit but…my NFT startup isn't necessarily the most successful. You see, I had invested 100,000 dollars (Count it, one-hundred-thousand..) into Trumpcoin. About 20 minutes later, that sweet, sweet trust fund from daddy was down the drain like a mentally ill 17 year olds busted hot pink-box-dye-damaged bangs on a summer night in 2020. That was my second strike, and the poop hotbox was the straw that broke the camel's back.

In a matter of weeks, I went from shitting in boxes to sleeping in them. I was BROKE and DESPERATE. At least I still had my cellular device…however my notifications were dryer than Joe Biden's ballsack. That was until one day I got a text from Discord user sticky_tofu_japanophile…the love of my life. Or so I thought.

Here’s how our little online meet-cute went.

@sticky_tofu_japanophile: Hey >_< !!!!

@AlphaGoneFree: What's a beautiful princess like you texting a lonely knight like myself?

As I patiently awaited a response from this new bombshell who had recently entered my murky swamp water of a life, a huge OBESE shadow seemed to block all sunlight from my view, like some sort of twisted blackout curtain. I'm not even joking, the shadow was so huge I thought we were going through a surprise solar eclipse or maybe the sun had exploded 8 minutes ago. But alas, it was just my girlfriend Ash.

“What the hell are you doing here, fairy?”

Her voice violated my ears like how an unruly priest in the 1960’s would violate a lone altar boy. I begrudgingly looked up and managed to escape only two words.

“Fuck off…”

All of a sudden, I was being kicked so hard in the stomach I couldn't breathe. She kicked me so strongly, I almost wondered if Ash was secretly a man. That’s when I started to look past the giant ogre blocking 97 percent of my view and I saw Santina sitting in her car typing away at her cell phone. As she typed, I heard my notifications go off.

That's when things started to get REALLY strange.

[pixvoxx]

So I don't know what this KOSA stuff is, but I'm just now hearing about it? Quite frankly from what I've read so far, this shit ain't good.

Apparently this is supposed to "protect" children by censoring apps like Tiktok, Instagram, Tumblr, AO3, etc. etc., as if this will make it better. Which, let's be honest, it won't.

I'm not fully aware or informed on KOSA, but I know for sure this shit will cause more suicides and suffering for kids my age from what I've read and seen.

Fuck KOSA, and everything it stands for.

(Edit: we should do what we did in like 2020 or something, where people would hack the representatives credit cards lol)

[ificouldhelpyouforget]

The ban on TikTok and what it means

Hi, hello. Idk who this will reach or if anyone will care at all, but after spending the last four or five years on TikTok, the last year being spent getting educated on politics, governments and the world, I have things to say.

The banning of TikTok is far more than losing a social media app. Frankly, I think people wouldn't be this upset if it was merely an app shutting down like Vine did. No, this is about the U.S. government banning a form of communication, free speech one might say. This ban was a rare instance where both Democrats and Republicans agreed... with no evidence that the app was a national security threat as they claimed. They banned the app on hypotheticals. Maybe our data could be taken. Maybe it could become a threat. But there was no physical evidence that TikTok was actually a threat to national security (while Meta apps are consistently hacked and we know they sell our information to the highest bidder). This should concern you because now that they've gotten away with this, what other things will they ban simply because they could be a threat? Remember this.

We also need to look at the issue of free speech. The government is very clearly trying to take that away. When Israel began its attack on Hamas, on Gaza, the news spread like wildfire... on TikTok. Watermelons began popping up on accounts and people began protesting in public spaces where free speech was claimed to be allowed. If anyone followed that, we watched those who were protesting Israel were being silenced. They were being arrested or sent away for sharing anti-Israel speech. People were exercising their right to free speech and were being forced to be silent. It wasn't the only time the voices of the people were silenced of course. But it's the biggest outrage I think the U.S. saw because news and real videos were being shared en masse on TikTok. It spread all over and it scared the oligarchs and leaders seeing how many people were banding together. But the push to ban started long before this actually.

In 2020, Donald Trump pushed for a bill to ban TikTok. You have to remember this since it appears this ban is performative and a way to make it appear as if he is "saving TikTok." He started this whole thing. He is trying to win over a demographic of young people because he knows if he keeps gaining the trust of the younger generations, when he tries to turn our government into a dictatorship, he can be re-elected. Or at the very least, he is setting the stage for future nationalist and fascists. You need to remember this. We do not praise that man for anything. He has done nothing good and has exacerbated the hate in this country. Please don't forget that he's allowed Nazis to feel safe here, which is a big no go (make Nazis afraid again).

So, what do we do then? Well, biggest thing is to limit use of Meta apps or completly get rid of them if you can. Log out and delete all Meta apps (Facebook, Instagram, What's App, Messenger, Threads) from your devices. Seek out new places like Tumblr, Bluesky (who is also working on a photo sharing app called Flash), Pixelfed, Mastodon, Substack, etc. Change is scary, I get it (neurospicy brain makes change hard), but we can't ignore that change must happen.

Start volunteering in your community. Find groups that might feel some uncertainty right now. They will need support. Let's bring love to people who are experiencing a lot of hate.

Go vote in local elections. I'm serious. At this rate, I can't guarantee women will hold their right to vote if our government keeps bending over backwards to appease the fascist getting sworn in on Monday. Minorities also. I just don't know what to expect. So for as long as we are able, vote in local elections. That's where real change can start. If you can, get involved in your local politics. We need driven and progressive thinkers to better this country.

Seek out outside news sources. I'm talking BBC or other neutral sources. We cannot trust our own media as they are falling prey to nationalism. They will only share news they are allowed to share and that is dangerous. We will soon see more and more American, government approved content across everything. That is why they found TikTok a threat. They didn't have control of it. If my hunch is right, they soon will come Monday or Tuesday.

And most importantly... we must keep fighting. We can't fall prey to forced obedience. Become ungovernable. We are entering into a time of uncertainty and harsh authority. Pattern recognizers are seeing similarities to a certain era of the 30s and 40s happening right now.

Times are scary. I feel like I've been in a constant panic attack since November. I have a lot of feelings I don't understand, but I don't like what they seem to be implying as we begin life with this new administration. I think we are going to truly see who we can and cannot trust, so we are going to have to be cautious, but we will not be controlled. We cannot let ourselves be controlled.

This ban sets a precedent for the future. We will watch many more things slip from our grasp. We will watch our places of free speech become less free (worse than we've seen over the last year or so). We are entering an extremely serious time and despite the memes we need to cope, we must be vigilant. Let's fight for each other. We can't give up. They have taken from us for so long and they will continue until we stand up. Look to the revolutions of the past. Educate yourself with books. Do not fall back into the arms of TikTok if Trump or Meta or Musk have their grubby hands on it.

We the people of the United States have a constitutional right to rid ourselves of a government that is not in the best interest of the people (not the oligarchs and CEOs) and form a new one. Our founding fathers, in their experience with tyrannical governments, thought of the future. They knew what might happen and gave us a right to change that. And I think it's about time we change it before it really is too late.

I know this is a doozy of a read, but this last year on TikTok has taught me so much and it needs to be said elsewhere. I had to speak about it. I need people to know this ban is performative. It feels icky in a way that should concern anyone in the U.S. with a brain. We are the bad place. We have been for a long time, this ban is only the beginning of potentially dark times. I can only hope things will not be as bad as they feel.

Please know that if you need a safe place, I'm here. My space is open to all people no matter your gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, etc. But I will not be a safe space for hate, bigotry, racism, phobias of any persons, isms of the hateful kind, etc. I will always strive to be a safe place for you all. I may not have had an open mind in my past when I was under the influence of a mindset harmful to people, but I have worked tirelessly on changing myself and my thoughts over the last decade (especially in the last few years). I hope that effort allows anyone of you to feel safe on my blog. 💜

If you made it to the end, thank you for reading. I'm sorry that the times feel so wrong and gross... to make any of us feel these things need to be said, but here we are. You are loved and I wish you all safety in whatever is ahead of us.

P.S. I highly recommend not watching the inauguration on Monday. No need to give a narcissist any wanted attention. I know you might want to see what nonsense happens, but please, let's not give him the views.

[serge-starr]

My take on the Melanie allegations

Melanie is my favourite musician and has been for almost a year now. I know I'm very late to the fandom because she's been making music for over a decade. I've been saving up and preparing to buy her merch, which is SO DAMN EXPENSIVE. However, lately there's been a bigger issue than just the money.

🍃🩷🦋🩷🍃

Another musician called Timothy Heller, who I believe is her "ex-best friend", has accused Melanie multiple times of sexual abuse. She's posted on her tiktok page talking about how speaking up about it ruined her life because a lot of Melanie's fans completely hammered her, bullied her, created hate pages for her because they believed she was lying for attention or trying to ruin Mel's life, etc.

I've watched both of Timothy's videos and she sounds really upset and desperate as she talks about how she and Melanie did something together that Timothy didn't want to do, or something like that? I don't know the details of how everything went down, but there have been pictures leaked that are either related to Timothy's past or the allegations specifically.

Timothy first accused Mel in 2017 but I think nothing happened as a result because somehow she didn't get much attention for it. Either people didn't believe her or they just didn't care. She spoke up about it again somewhere around the 2020s.

Sorry, I need to correct myself. She actually DID get a lot of attention in 2017. In fact, it was so bad for her that she got "run-off the internet", according to herself. I don't know what she meant by this but I ASSUME (correct me if I'm wrong) that it means she got bullied so bad that she either quit or she just got cancelled??

🍃🩷🦋🩷🍃

Timothy, in her video, said that Melanie admitted that they did something together but also said that Timothy "didn't say no". Timothy denied this and said that she DID say no.

Timothy said that 2015 is when it happened but she didn't remember the exact date. In an interview she revealed a photo she took the day after it happened and discovered the date the abuse happened through that method. After all this was revealed online, Melanie's fans looked at all of Melanie's posts on that very date. The conclusion of this was that Timothy and Melanie were in different states on that date. Some believed this meant Timothy was a liar. However Timothy argued that for some reason the photo appeared multiple times in her camera roll (she could not explain why). My comment on this is that this technically means Timothy STILL cannot be sure what date the occurance was because this photo appeared multiple times.

This understandably drove Timothy insane and made her really angry because Melanie had ALREADY admitted that they had done something together but as soon as her fans revealed they were in different states at this UNCONFIRMED date, Melanie thanked them for revealing that Timothy's statements were false. In my opinion, there is definitely something off about this. On top of that, some of Timothy's accounts/details have been either hacked or leaked which has really scared her and affected her mental health (made her low self-esteem even lower). Eventually Timothy gave up on her music career, deactivated all her public accounts and lived in private for many years. In her first video, she expresses how distraught she is that she has been unable to live the life that she's dreamed of just because of this. Timothy's lost all hope and confidence with herself and her entire life. I honestly feel so bad for her. She also explains that some "photoshopped" (according to her) images revealed that she "admitted to lying", "accused other celebrities" of the same thing, etc. She said that these are all false and were made to make her look bad. Timothy says that she is exhausted and embarassed from begging people to believe her and begging people to care.

🍃🩷🦋🩷🍃

I wanted to make a paragraph about Melanie's side of the story but I don't think Melanie has really done a proper explanation or clearup on what happened herself. I feel like Melanie's either tried to avoid the topic, pretend it didn't happen, forget it, move on, etc. In my opinion, this was a very dumb move. If I were to get accused of something as serious as that, I would speak up about it immediately, whether I'm a celebrity or not.

She has allowed her fans to treat Timothy in such a horrible way, literally ruining her life. I understand that Timothy's allegations have caused trouble for Melanie too but what I don't understand is why would Timothy CONTINUE to defend her point knowing she's going to get a ton of hate and DEATH THREATS when she could easily just "admit" she's lying and allow the world to move on and leave her alone. She's chosen the harder option, clearly because she's probably not lying and has no choice but to pick the more difficult route, and continue to accuse Melanie until she gets her justice.

Admitting that she and Timothy did something together but then thanking her fans for proving they did nothing together makes absolutely no sense, isn't logical and doesn't connect any dots together for me.

Many people have accused Melanie of taking advantage of her talent, her fandom, her power, etc. Honestly, if these allegations are true, I won't be surprised. There are a lot of disagreements and arguments over this matter but a point that has stood out to me personally is that Melanie probably does not care about her fans, and only cares about making money.

From what I know, Melanie probably doesn't want to let her guard down or reveal/admit to anything because not only would she lose her power, reputation, wealth, etc. she would lose basically EVERYTHING she has worked for. She wouldn't want to speak out because her method of staying quiet is working in her favour. In my opinion, she is sitting back, relaxing, and allowing her fans to do her dirty work. Destroying/silencing/bringing Timothy Heller down, while allowing herself to continue to thrive and make money.

Of course, I don't know much about Melanie's side of the story so I don't want to say too much. This is mainly opinion-based and me just saying what I think based on what I know.

🍃🩷🦋🩷🍃

I'm trying to make this make sense. This has been very hard to process because Melanie is my favourite singer and was one of my favourite people in the world. I WANT to believe the allegations are false, but honestly I'm just not convinced sorry guys. I want to say I will always love her music, but not her as a person since I don't support the actions she's been accused of and NO ONE should. There is absolutely NO EXCUSE FOR R*PE. I don't even know if I should consider myself a Melanie "fan" anymore.

I also don't want to assume the allegations are false because I am extremely worried about Timothy.

I'm technically a fan, but I don't support these actions at all. I want to say I'm against what I'm against but I still admire her talent and the inspiration she's brought to the world. Honestly, the Melanie fandom has been SO TOXIC when it comes to the Timothy Heller situation. So many of them are reacting in such wrong, damaging ways.

Sending either of them hate won't do any good. It'll either put them through pain/self-hatred or make them hate each other even more. This will put more pressure under the situation and eventually everyone will have a mental breakdown at this rate. This is a time where we need to be open-minded, understanding and spread as much love as possible. There is no confirmed proof that Melanie did it, and there is no confirmed proof that Timothy is lying. So until we have something INDENIABLE, we need to stay calm and neutral about this, while sending support to the correct places (Melanie's music career and Timothy's safety/mental health).

I also feel like we need to try and be a bit more smart and considerate about this. Don't support Melanie 100% just because you like her music. You know her songs, you know her style, you know her aesthetic, but you DON'T. KNOW. HER. AS. A. PERSON. You can't assume Mel is innocent just because you like her. Yes, you like her, but you don't KNOW her. The same goes for Timothy as well. Don't bash Melanie just because you're very confident that Timothy is telling the truth. If Timothy is somehow lying, then we've basically been bashing, upsetting and damaging Mel for no reason (while she's already coping with these statements). If Timothy is telling the truth, do you think bashing Mel is going to magically erase something she did in the past or make her feel remorse for what she did? Probably not. You're just going to make her hate Timothy even more if that's the kind of person she is. We need to think about the evidence rather than JUST what we think of these people.

In general, I feel like the Melanie fandom is SUPER TOXIC. There are so many fake Melanie fans it's crazy. And by a fake fan I don't mean someone who doesn't know all her songs. I mean someone who claims to be a fan but then casually bodyshames Melanie, insults her outfits, calls her new album cringe/weird, etc. I get that people can have their own opinions, dislike particular outfits, etc. but bodyshaming is where I cross the line. There is no excuse for bodyshaming. I know this is besides the main topic of this post but I just want to point out that the Mel fandom is trash in more cases than just Timothy Heller. This fandom has done fucked up things multiple times. Bodyshaming Mel is so wrong and unnecessary. We all know damn well there is nothing wrong with her body. She doesn't need to change it. I don't want to associate myself with these kinds of people. While I could stand up against these people, for this particular case I would like to just consider myself NOT part of the fandom. At this point, I'm wondering if buying her merch is a bad idea because I don't want to support this kind of thing.

Before I end this I want to add that a lot of people who are particularly fans of Melanie are toxic and a lot of the things they do are very weird and questionable. I don't care how much you like Mel. There is no excuse for shaming people only because they don't know every song, like/prefer different albums/EPs to you, dress a certain way, have different opinions to you, different merch to you, etc. Finally, there is DEFINITELY no excuse for sending Timothy literal death threats. It's unjustifiable to send death threats to ANYONE.

That's all. Thanks for reading!

[hellwurld]

while im not a dark romance fan, the idea of dark romance having once been something that didn't include borderline abusive or toxic behaviors is an idea that's so pervasive on booktube and booktok and it is such an interesting idea to me. because, like, for as long as i can remember (ie. 2016 and onwards cut me some slack im seventeen), dark romance has never been something (at least not exclusively) where the male lead is "doing crimes for her, not to her" or "a girl falling in love with a bad person and then he changes for her," which are both real tiktok comments i saw. it's just fascinating to me because while OF COURSE modern dark romance, especially into the 2020s, has been getting lower quality and therefore addressing the toxicity they are presenting poorly, and there has been way more author controversy of authors who write toxic/dark works being bad people, there has been a ??? sanitization ??? of the genre. i see this in traditional publishing, self-publishing, and fic all the same. people tend to force their characters that are meant to be morally gray into always somehow being a good guy: the murderer/stalker only ever kills rapists and pedophiles, the hacker only ever steals and hacks the rich to give to the poor, etc etc blah blah. then, with characters that ARE bad people, the idea is that their love interest should either change them or leave them by the end of the story, and if they don't, then it's a BAD STORY. i just think it's interesting how easily explicit content is able to be accessed by people in the mainstream recently, combined with how little it's actually addressed within the content that claims to be it. like there is such easy access, at least for adults in america, to find kinky or dark romance books through self-published authors and/or social media, but paired with the lack of actual accountability from a lot of those authors, and quantity outweighs the quality by miles. i have more to say on this blah blah i don't piss on the poor just walk with me ok

[arlnlms]

Influencers Shaping Public Health Misinformation: "Dr. Tiktok" and Mukbang Culture

MDA20009 Digital Communities │ Week 7: Public Health Campaigns

Are you like me and every other human on this planet? Always on the phone, doomscrolling through Tiktok, Instagram reels and Youtube.

Undeniably, it has now gone out of bounds as social media can be a great source of entertainment, but they've also let the floodgates open for a lot of misinformation generally with reference to health and wellness. Once you spend long enough on such platforms, towards the end, you will begin to observe the visible rise of self-proclaimed "experts" giving out advice on every health issue, from mental to skincare, which is starting to raise eyebrows.

On the other hand, influencers involved in Mukbang culture are distorting the message about eating habits and body image. Their unethical health narratives, though not clearly disseminated, confuse the followers and damage public health campaigns well-designed to give accurate, science-backed messages.

The Rise of Self-Proclaimed Health Experts

TikTok's short video format encourages users to share quick tips, life hacks, and advice, earning it the nickname "the therapist's couch of Gen Z" (Weikle, 2024). Although it owes a great deal to destigmatizing mental health and making it easier to talk about issues, there have also been concerns about misinformation. Indeed, the unqualified pretender plays out their authority over complex issues, such as mental health, nutrition, or skincare.

Self-diagnosis and providing mental health advice has been an emerging trend as of late. The "Dr. TikToks" profess to know all the symptoms of illnesses like depression, anxiety, or ADHD and can influence viewers into self-diagnosing rather than visiting a professional. Research by the University of British Columbia found that of the 100 most popular TikTok videos about ADHD, over half contained misleading information, most of which relied on personal experiences rather than being clinical experts (Weikle, 2024).

Another disturbing thing is that some influencers take up roles as skincare experts by providing tips on easy access to perfect skin through their 'magic' ingredients. One infamous example is the TikTok influencer/physician's assistant (TikTok handle: devthepa) who promoted beef tallow, a rendered fat from beef, as a skincare miracle. According to her, beef tallow could give your skin a glowy look, like DUH, of course, fat is oil, so of course, it gives that "glowy effect" when, in reality, it's just oily. Dermatologists quickly debunked these claims. Despite concerning warnings, the video still went viral, and many people, particularly younger followers, began to follow this advice without understanding how useless it is.

Misinformation tends to be left unchecked. That underlines the utility of unverified advice. TikTok encourages conversations that can help destigmatize mental illness yet lends themselves to those throaty mouths and parroting personal anecdotes mixed with professional credentials as influencers.

Mukbang Culture: The Illusion of Eating Without Consequences

A comparison between 2 famous Mukbangers: Eat with Boki and Nikocado Avocado

Mukbang has invaded the world, coming from South Korea, where influencers devoured high volumes of food while engaging viewers. The practice has gained much prominence on sites like YouTube and TikTok. Mukbangers mainly eat a lot of calories while looking like they ate nothing at all through some strenuous workouts to attain and maintain their healthy-looking figures. This world creation misleads the average person into believing there are no health risks associated with overeating, especially when the influencers do not mention calorie deprivation or editing tricks (Amrane, 2020).

Encouragement towards excessiveness has been opposed to measures taken on public health with regard to balanced eating. Mukbang content may provide some retreat for viewers, or even a little companionship, but it then normalizes excessive consumption and food choice itself for being excessively unhealthy for audiences. For younger groups, this distortion can ruin their standards toward the reality of nutrition as well as create misinterpretations in eating patterns. Mukbang culture, according to Amrane (2020), relies on and impacts instant gratification sacrifices for long-term health, forming an unhealthy aspect over food.

The social consequences are huge. Public health efforts, such as anti-obesity campaigns, speak about moderation and mindful eating, while mukbangs endorse a lifestyle of excess, which is contrary. Beyond the individual consequences, this trend reveals a more universal ethical dilemma: waste normality and overconsumption in a world where there is still hunger.

The Dangers of Medical and Health Misinformation

Self-proclaimed medical experts and mukbang influencers on social media are more interested in entertainment and sponsorships than in the well-being of their audience, advertising useless supplements, self-medication and the wrong lifestyle. This shifts reliance from true healthcare providers to fake ones, thus allowing fake health information to spread quickly and widely without fact checking. The main characteristic of social media, which is lack of regulation, assists the spread of these fabrications to millions and complicates efforts in promoting public health.

Combating Misinformation: Key Strategies

So, how do we combat this growing wave of misinformation?

Platform Accountability: social media platforms take greater responsibility for what is shared online. While Instagram and TikTok have made important strides in tackling some harmful content, there is much further to go with respect to health-related advice from credible sources. Such platforms should focus their attention on verified health professionals and improve tools for flagging or reporting misleading advice.

Adapt Public Health Campaigns: Partner up with relevant influencers to relay accurate, engaging, and evidence-based health information.

Promote Media Literacy: Educate the public to tell the difference between real health advice from personal stories or unverifiable claims.

Conclusion

In an age of social media where viewpoints on health and wellness are created, this has become an important point for all awareness and updates. The healer "Dr TikTok" and, of course, Mukbang culture gives importance to the phrase mentioned above in such a way that it shows the power and pitfalls of digital platforms in the public health sphere.

Merely holding internet platforms accountable in dealing with misinformation, changing public health campaigns to bring them into the digital contemporary space, and building media literacy are steps to a country where more citizens benefit from being well-informed and health conscious. Public health campaigns must reform in the Internet age, ensuring that the right information reaches audiences before the wrong messages go viral.

List of References:

Amrane, S. (2020, November 16). Mukbangs and a culture of gluttony. Traversing Tradition. https://traversingtradition.com/2020/11/16/mukbangs-and-a-culture-of-gluttony/

Weikle, B. (2024, June 22). TikTok has been called the therapist’s couch of Gen Z. But not all the #mentalhealth info checks out. CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/spark/mental-health-tiktok-1.7242717

[turtlebros4u]

I know sometimes we like to use the turtles as an escape and so we dip into their world, but I like to have them dip into our world.

Let me know if anyone else has done this, so curious. But here's my

2020 QUARANTINE TURTLE HEADCANNONS

⚠️ TW for sensitive topics, death and protests from 2020

They didn't know if they were susceptible to the virus or not

They've caught colds before so it was possible

They upped their safety game a ton, especially with their old man around

Wearing gloves and masks they were all able to get vaccinated (and maybe swipe one for the old rat too)

They did reap the benefits of extreme masking

They went out more at least in cloaks and masks

They at least got to pretend to fit in, doing yoga in the park, outdoor painting classes in central park, birdwatching even and made some very good local friends

It was surreal to them to see the city streets so much quieter

So much emptier

Crime dropped, so the turtles too became more idle

Sometimes doing the same as the rest of us

doomscrolling on TikTok (esp Mikey)

learning to bake sourdough (Leo of course)

playing Animal Crossing (Raph surprisingly)

and buying NFTs (or moreso Donnie hacking and vandalizing them to get back at pretentious dudes trying to make a quick buck)

Mikey does own one NFT though

He refused to show anyone for months

Turned out it was an art piece he commissioned to look like an NFT of a rather comical and ugly characature of Leo

And this was their first time as teens coming to terms with such a reality

In the middle of that year, one event shook us all

George Floyd

Especially when all they had been taught was that cops were the good guys

The protests were surreal

Streets lined with standing or sitting, socially distancing, masked potestors

It was upsetting enough when they were loud, but heartbreaking when they were silent

Raphael especially was upset by what happened to George Floyd, he took it harder than most, his mind went to every person he knew in his big city that was just as innocent but just as easily victimized and the thought of this happening to any one of them scared him and angered him

He didn't know what to do but he had to do something

It was months of rage sparring with his brothers, escaping into Animal Crossing, and sobbing on rooftops with Splinter before he knew how to even start processing the tragedy

He ended up joining the protests, sitting with the people he shared so much grief and anger with, hoping to make a change

Leo became silent for a while, he needed time to process

He came to a conclusion, and at first, without the approval of Splinter he started patrols in the most heavy policed parts of the city, but looking for a whole new type of crime

It took a while to learn what he was looking for, and he was too late in some situations

This was the part where he sought Splinters wisdom

Splinter helped him to identify cops with the worst track records, and how to help those most in need, especially the kids

While a rather Raph move on his part, Leo's new version of vigilante-ism is fueled by having always thought he was similar to cops, fighting crime and leading by example

Leo is disgusted that they'd abuse their power for the cheapest power trips and with the cruelest consequences

Donnie, as part of his NFT hacking to gift money off assholes, used that money to donate to as many fundraisers as he could manage

Bail fundraisers for protesters

Medical fundraisers for every harmed in protests or additional incidents nationwide

He even managed to set up a foundation that automatically collected and donated accordingly, doubling the donated value through the same kind of investment and bank loopholes many mega corps utilize

It upsets Donnie, but he's been on the internet longest, the reality of racists and assholes was something he was keenly aware of

The only way he can sleep at night is knowing he's helped exceed multiple fundraisers because it's the only thing he feels he can do

Mikey appeared alright for a while, he tried to ignore it

But it ate away at him as his social media feed began turning to more and more discussions and awareness and responses and critical analysis

He couldn't escape it, at some point he broke

He stayed in bed for four days

He barely ate, barely drank, cried a lot

His brothers, with whatever energy they could muster tried to rally him or comfort him but nothing worked

Even Splinter struggled to get through

After four days Mikey got out of bed, but still mulled around for weeks in a daze

Eventually he ended up spending time with each of his brothers

handing out waters at protests and keeping innocent protestors out handcuffs when bad turned worse

Policing the police, watching out for kids after dark when policemen were in the area, letting the air out of tires and emptying cartridges

He edited social media videos and curated info accounts for fundraisers

All of this helped the brothers to keep moving forward, but the weight sat heavy in their hearts even as years passed and progress moved at a snails pace

It's 2024 and they still do what they can, and when tragedies happen they at least have each other to get through it

They look back painfully to the years they lived in rose colored glasses, sure they should have known, but they don't think it's an unreasonable dream to think that their city can fix what's broken and corrupt to achieve the idyllic world they used to believe in

Certainly this is a lesson they'll never forget and will continue to shape them

The new Foot Clan wears black boots and badges

Sorry for such a long post, but I think that it's important to address these things at least in my head cannons.

If you have nuance or constructive critiques I'd love to hear them. I'm not a POC but I was personally devastated by many many of the events of 2020.

As a queer person I have stood with and still stand with BLM and believe ACAB. I didn't live in NYC during that year but had friends who did and it broke the heart of the city.

If you hate that I've brought social issues into generally escapists TMNT spaces then you should probably block me or ignore any future head cannons with the appropriate trigger warnings on them.

Thank yall for your time. 💙💜🧡♥️

[mcllv]

On Sunday February 2024 a blank video titled MELLY OH MY MY SPICE FULL SONG LEAK. was posted to the account siusheep. A youtube account with almost 300 followers with a total of 6 videos.

The account had formerly posted about the melly girls twice sharing videos of them from afar, one from a fansite and another from a concert they had had back in 2020. the other 3 videos were all videos featuring long 20 minutes shots of dread end members from concerts.

The leaked song video gained nearly 5k views within hours from Jellies saving, rewatching and sharing the video. As of now this video has been taken down from the channel, however Jellies have managed to record the song beforehand. In the video you can clearly hear Yoona, Meilli and Hinata.

Now the video has been reposted by others all over Instagram, Tiktok and X. Fans have also created fake mv's, line distribution videos, and cover of the song.

But many netizens have taken to online forums to discuss how this person was able to obtain the snippet of the song. Seeing as there other videos lead people to speculate that their just another fan.

Some have created theories such as, this person is a staff working at honeyco? some even speculate that this was all a plan by honeyco to gain attention for melly's comeback, however most people believe that honeyco was hacked by a fan.

[itd-be-gay-if-you-didnt]

I was a global Facebook influencer from 2020-2023 with 800,000 followers from over 100 countries. I created one of the most wholesome spaces on the entire app. In 2023 my account - my journal - of 13 years was hacked and they still have it because Facebook did NOTHING despite the fact that I did everything they wanted for months. Fuck them. I met so many amazing people on that app. And on TikTok. But our government tried to go too far. So here I am.

Correcting a Chinese kid's English homework that another American got wrong on a Chinese app named after Mao Zedong's Little Red Book as part of a mass online temper tantrum to help save TikTok was not on my 2025 bingo card, but here we are.

This might actually be the political fuck-up of the century. Our politicians are all 900 year old crypt keepers who probably turn off their computers by unplugging them from the wall. Were there a single synapse in their decrepit domes focused on something besides their next payday, they might have thought twice about challenging Millennials and Zoomers on the internet. I repeat, ON THE INTERNET. Oh to have the confidence of an octogenarian born into generational wealth.

Something I need people to understand is the "security threat" doesn't just stop at data. The mere act of normal Chinese and American citizens interacting scares the shit out of governments on both sides. I'm already seeing videos from folks here in the US talking about how shocked they were at the grocery hauls in China, and how much they could get with very little. Chinese people are watching Americans absolutely dog walk their own government and talk it for filth. People are having fun.

All rich people had to do was remember the deal. Americans are terrible people. If they had just paid folks enough to buy a house, an electric car, and a vacation once a year they'd sit in front of the TV in a docile fugue state while the wealthy shoved their boots up the ass of the global south. Now who knows what's going to happen. I just know it's a testament to how done with Mark Zuckerberg's ass people are that they're rather learn Mandarin than go back to Facebook.

I think 2025 is about to be a ride.

[marie1-kersaint]

https://www.youtube.com/live/9nNrvcyM3iA?si=S8EBTn70VztRga3D

FBC Riverview

First Baptist Church of Riverview

We're a church located in Riverview, FL, right outside of Tampa, FL. fbcriverview.org

First Baptist Church of Riverview 8626 US Highway 301 South Riverview, Florida 33578

#fbcriverview

Sundays:

Worship: 9:30AM and 11:00AM

LifeGroups (kids, youth&adults): 9:30AM

KidsView Worship: 11:00AM

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Adult Bible Study: 6:30PM

InView Students: 6:30PM

FBC Riverview

fbcr@fbcriverview.org

fbcr fbcriverview.org

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😂💝🤸‍♂️🤸‍♀️NEIGHBOR 🤸🏿💃🕺αγαπημενος του θεου💘

THANK YOU 🙏🙏🙏

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[“JUST A BAD FLU 😷”]

My older sister in PBC🏥hospital

My younger sister dying in Sacramento, CA. i am hiding alone from this “mole hill😷bad flu”

My sister in Christ HELPED me sell my house @ <_1/2 the listed price while HOUSE PRICES SOAR💰🔝💰

i wonder 💭 if Covid had killed 1️⃣ of your 2️⃣ sons like April 27, 2020 did MAXXX

Daughter’s body🤔 50% dead‼️

If youngest son doesn’t have sons (WHO CAN BLAME HIM‼️)

🆘this DEMOSTHENES line is DEAD💔

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Can’t find that1️⃣sentence buried in a 100-page PDF? 😩

This guide shows you how to search PDFs on any device, plus a bonus hack to save time.

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#timeanddate.com

Please GOD HELP US🙏🔥🥊🌀🌪️🌊🌋H.LL🔥

#NICKBROOK

Time since Dec 31, 2023 started in New York🙏

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[tyla77777777777]

TikTok VPN: How to Access TikTok Anywhere Using Free VPNs That Work

TikTok VPN: How to Access TikTok Anywhere Using Free VPNs That Work

TikTok is one of the most popular apps in the world. With short videos, viral trends, and creative content, it has taken over phones everywhere. But not everyone can use TikTok freely. In some countries, TikTok is banned or restricted. Even in schools and offices, the app is often blocked.

If you’ve ever seen a “TikTok is not available in your region” message, you know how frustrating that can be. Luckily, there’s a simple solution: a TikTok VPN.

In this blog, we’ll explain what a TikTok VPN is, why people use one, and how you can find free VPNs that work with TikTok. Whether you're trying to watch TikTok abroad or just want better access from school Wi-Fi, this guide is for you.

What Is a TikTok VPN?

A TikTok VPN is a virtual private network that helps you unblock TikTok and use it from anywhere. When you connect to a VPN, your internet traffic is routed through a different server, hiding your real location. This tricks TikTok into thinking you are in another country where the app is available.

So if TikTok is blocked in your country, region, or school, a VPN lets you get around those blocks. You can watch, post, and scroll like normal, all while staying private and secure.

Why Do You Need a TikTok VPN?

There are a few reasons you might want a VPN for TikTok:

TikTok Is Banned in Your Country Some countries have banned TikTok due to political, cultural, or security concerns. For example:

India banned TikTok in 2020.

TikTok has faced restrictions in Pakistan and Indonesia.

Some governments have limited access to TikTok in public spaces or government networks.

TikTok Is Blocked on School or Work Wi-Fi Many schools and workplaces block apps like TikTok to avoid distractions. A VPN can help you bypass these filters.

You Want More Privacy on TikTok A VPN encrypts your internet traffic, which helps protect your identity and browsing habits. This adds a layer of safety when using apps like TikTok.

You Want to Access TikTok Content From Other Regions Some videos are only available in certain countries. With a VPN, you can change your location and see content from anywhere.

How to Use a TikTok VPN

Using a VPN for TikTok is easy. You don’t need to be a tech expert. Just follow these steps:

Choose a VPN provider (we’ll show free options next).

Download and install the app on your phone or computer.

Open the VPN and connect to a server in a country where TikTok works.

Open TikTok and enjoy full access!

That’s it. No coding. No hacks. Just a simple app that unlocks TikTok for you.

Do Free VPNs That Work With TikTok Really Exist?

Yes! There are free VPNs that work with TikTok. But not all of them are good. Many free VPNs have downsides, like:

Data limits

Slow speeds

Only a few server locations

Ads and pop-ups

Weak privacy policies

Still, some free VPNs offer good quality, enough data, and strong privacy. You just need to pick the right one.

Best Free VPNs That Work With TikTok

Here are some of the best free VPNs that actually work with TikTok:

1. ProtonVPN

No data limit

Strong privacy

Free servers in the US, Japan, and Netherlands

ProtonVPN is one of the only free VPNs with unlimited data. That makes it perfect for watching lots of TikTok videos. The only downside is limited server choices.

2. Windscribe

10GB/month free plan

Servers in 10+ countries

Ad and tracker blocker

Windscribe is fast and offers more country options. You can use it for free, and it’s great for unlocking TikTok in different regions.

3. TunnelBear

500MB/month free

Very user-friendly

Servers in 20+ countries

TunnelBear is fun and simple to use. It’s a good choice for light TikTok users or people who want to try a VPN before going premium.

Can I Use a VPN to Post TikTok Videos?

Yes! A TikTok VPN doesn’t just help you watch videos—it also works for posting. If you travel to a country where TikTok is blocked, or your school won’t let you upload, a VPN solves that.

Just make sure you’re connected to the VPN before you open the TikTok app. This ensures the app uses your new, unblocked location.

Is It Safe to Use a VPN With TikTok?

Yes, as long as you use a trusted VPN provider. A good VPN will encrypt your data, protect your privacy, and never log your online activity.

Avoid sketchy free VPNs from unknown companies. Some of them track your data or fill your phone with ads.

Stick to trusted names like:

ProtonVPN

Windscribe

TunnelBear

PrivadoVPN

Hide.me

These are known for safety, even in their free versions.

What If TikTok Still Doesn’t Work With a VPN?

If you’re using a VPN and TikTok still won’t load, try these tips:

Change VPN servers – Some IP addresses get blocked. Try a different location.

Clear your app cache – This can help TikTok reset your region.

Restart your device – Sometimes a fresh start is all it takes.

Use incognito/private mode – This avoids browser cache issues.

If you're still stuck, you might need to try a premium VPN with more reliable servers.

Should You Upgrade to a Paid VPN?

If you use TikTok a lot or want the fastest speeds, a paid VPN might be better. Free VPNs work, but they have limits. Paid VPNs offer:

Faster speeds for smoother video playback

More server locations

Better streaming and app support

Stronger privacy tools

Top paid VPNs that work great with TikTok include:

NordVPN

ExpressVPN

Surfshark

CyberGhost

Most offer 30-day money-back guarantees, so you can try them risk-free.

Final Thoughts: Get Back to Scrolling with a TikTok VPN

TikTok shouldn’t be off-limits just because of where you are. Whether you're in a country with a ban, using a school Wi-Fi, or just want more privacy, a TikTok VPN is your best tool.

And if you're on a budget, don’t worry—there are free VPNs that work with TikTok. Just choose carefully and use one that’s trusted, fast, and secure.

Now that you know how to unlock TikTok from anywhere, it’s time to connect, swipe, scroll, and post. The world of TikTok is waiting—go enjoy it!

[aathis-stuff]

Question: Example of an Individual Who Used Democratization of the Web to Become Famous

Khaby Lame is an Italian content creator who became famous on TikTok for his funny videos that simplify complicated life hacks. He started gaining popularity in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic when TikTok saw a rise in users. Unlike other influencers who used elaborate content, Khaby's silent comedy, relying on facial expressions and gestures, attracted millions. By 2022, he had over 150 million followers, making him one of the top influencers on TikTok. His rise to fame is a result of the web's democratization, allowing his content to spread quickly without traditional media support.

[karterrbakerr]

Reflective Critique 2 Question 1

I chose Khaby Lame as my person to do a reflection on. Khaby was a former factory worker back in 2020 but was let go of his job when Covid-19 had started. At the time TikTok had Fastly become the most popular app on planet earth with millions upon millions of people scrolling the app everyday while under lockdown. Khaby took advantage of that by posting every day on the app. He would strike gold with his reaction videos to over complicated everyday things. He would put on a blank face and make a face once the original creator would show a life hack that would require more steps than needed then Khaby would proceed to show the easier method to do such thing. An example of this would be someone showing how to put on a sock with a tool and then khaby would show himself putting on socks with his hands. He had a very simple yet successful way to get popular on TikTok and that skyrocketed his career to a completely different level.  

Bertoni, S. (2023, September 26). How top creator Khaby Lame became TikTok’s most popular influencer. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2023/09/26/how-top-creator-khaby-lame-became-tiktoks-most-popular-influencer/

Horowitz, J., & Lorenz, T. (2021, June 2). Khaby Lame, the Everyman of the Internet. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/02/style/khaby-lame-tiktok.html

‌

[thegracieedit]

Democratization of the Web

The man who gained fame without speaking a single word

Khabane Lame, or famously known as Khaby Lame, holds the title of the most-followed user on TikTok as of January 2025 (Ceci, 2025). He currently has 163 million followers on TikTok, 81.3 million followers on Instagram and 10 million subscribers on his YouTube channel (Muñiz, 2024, p. para. 5). His life changed during the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, from losing his job to becoming a star. He first started uploading a bunch of videos on YouTube, which no one hardly watched (Forbes, 2023).

Then came the year 2020 where TikTok was one of the most downloaded apps (Jeb, 2025), Khaby decided to start making his content there. Not until the year 2021, where he found the right content to share on the platform. His unique style of comedy captured the public’s attention, wherein he records himself reacting to complex “life hacks” videos found on the internet. He mocked and busted the complicated hacks with his exaggerated gestures and facial expressions. Below are few examples of the videos he made (Weaver, 2022):

Apart from the life hack videos, he also created short comedy skits highlighting his expressive reactions without uttering a word — which later became a popular meme. Until it led him to companies asking for partnerships like Hugo Boss, Binance and Middle East bank QNB, Fortnite, and Statefarm (Bertoni, 2023, p. para. 4).

Viral meme examples (Padya, 2021):

How Khaby Lame maintain and grow his fame is driven by several factors (Alarm, 2023, pp. para. 10 - 15):

Consistency – he regularly posts videos, ensuring his followers had fresh content to enjoy.

Authenticity – by remaining true to himself and his unique style.

Relatability – his content is based on real/everyday life situations which makes it easy for everyone to relate.

Engagement – he makes time to engaged with his followers by liking posts and responding to comments

By regular posting and sharing relatable contents, he was able to manage and grow his followers and at the same time, this is his way of engaging to people. Here are few examples:

All the factors given above makes sense as public are drawn to these. It is because most people turn to social media hoping for some entertainment after a long hard day of work. However, in today’s digital world where everyone shares anything and everything, one must explore and try new ideas for a content. Being different than the others sets you apart from the crowd which could help you find your audience. A relatable content always wins as it is easy for everyone to engage to something that they know or experience of. And when you finally found the right content, posting regularly could help you to boost and widen your audience. Lastly, enable to maintain your followers, you must make an engagement towards them. Responding and liking their comments make them feel valued, heard and part of the group.

Indeed, technology makes people lives easier. From our smart home devices or appliances to online shipping and delivery to making it easy to connect to anyone in any part of the world. There is still a lot to mention as to how technology makes our lives convenient. But as for this topic, because of technology there is social media. And social media makes it easier for anyone to connect to as many people worldwide. And because of democratization in the web, anyone has the power to contribute to someone’s fame. Just by following the account, viewing, liking or “reacting”, and/or sharing the post, you could help someone’s post reach a thousand miles. So, there might be a slim chance of him reaching fame without the support of social media. Unless you have connection in the industry, like being part of a family where there’s a celebrity or politician, it would be a heck of ride to get to the top.

Works Cited:

Alarm. (2023, September 7). Medium. Retrieved from From Rags to Riches in 12 Months: The Inspiring Journey of Khaby Lame: https://medium.com/@dima.o.a/from-rags-to-riches-in-12-months-the-inspiring-journey-of-khaby-lame-3f87a0b154b4

Bertoni, S. (2023, September 26). Forbes. Retrieved from How Top Creator Khaby Lame Became TikTok’s Most Popular Influencer: https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenbertoni/2023/09/26/how-top-creator-khaby-lame-became-tiktoks-most-popular-influencer/

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