Meme Monday: TikTok withdrawals – and whiplash
Mondays are tough. Here's a meme roundup to cheer you up
It’s time for a special edition of the newsletter where I highlight a trending meme. If you want in, you can subscribe here. Views are my own. Happy reading!
What is the meme?
In anticipation of a TikTok’s ban in the U.S., users debated whether to move on from the app or to memorialize it. Shortly after a pop-up message announcing TikTok was shutting down in the U.S., the social media platform reversed course.
Who is in the meme?
Posts came from disgruntled TikTok consumers as well as critics. Some talked about niche topics that were made popular by TikTok, like Hulu’s documentary/reality show “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” while others reflected on the days of Vine, another video-sharing app that was taken down.
When did the meme pop up?
An influx of memes began last week as the app xiaohongshu or “RedNote” cropped up to replace TikTok. (The app was scheduled to be banned yesterday). One X user said, “The American migration to Xiaohongshu (RedNote) may be the craziest accidental cultural exchange ever. Hundreds of thousands of users landed in an app not localized or in their language. One day in, and it’s already considered rude not to subtitle videos in the other language.”
Where is the meme?
I’m seeing the posts widespread across social media.
Why is the meme?
TikTok’s societal influence has been undeniably widespread, defining Covid’s lockdown era and coining a plethora of popular soundbites. Without it, many were left scrambling to scratch the algorithmic itch.
“TikTok solidified itself as a melting pot of creativity, where communication transcended borders and cultures,” Taylor Lorenz wrote for The Hollywood Reporter. “TikTok’s ultimate legacy was giving a voice to millions online, including those who felt previously voiceless. Love it or hate it, it changed the social fabric of the internet, and once it’s gone, it will be harder for anyone without an established platform to reach people and be heard.”
Read the last Meme Monday: We're breakin' free