6 Toxic TikTok Trends We’re Leaving Behind—Even If the App Gets Banned

Is it time to say goodbye to TikTok forever? Maybe. We love a good TikTok scroll—but some content is better left on the FYP (or in the drafts). From Tide pods to trad wife mania, the internet never fails to deliver its fair share of questionable trends. Here are the TikTok trends we’re leaving behind in 2024, and one worth keeping around (banned app or not).

Leave Behind

Fake Therapy Speak

While therapy can have a big effect on your life, there’s a major difference between going to sessions with a licensed therapist and simply using the lingo without doing the work. We’ve seen too many videos co-opt therapy-speak in an effort to cover bad behavior. If you’re ready to make a change in your life, book an appointment with a therapist and leave the word salad at home.

Relationship “Challenges” and Rage-Bait Prompts

We love a TikTok challenge, but some of the ideas floating around are designed to do more harm than good. This is especially true when it comes to relationships—stop testing your partner and letting TikTok trends affect your bond.

Unhealthy Diet Comparisons

We’ve all seen those “What I Eat In A Day” videos, but what’s typically missing is insight from a dietitian. In fact, very often these influencers are simply not eating enough food in a day, which can be dangerous, especially when portrayed as #healthgoals. In reality, everyone’s body is different—so don’t rely on an influencer for advice on your health.

Getting involved in TikTok drama 

It seems like there’s a new feud on TikTok every day. Like clockwork, viewers take it upon themselves to decide who’s in the wrong, choose sides, and bully the losing party off the app. I won’t lie, the Halley Kate and Sophia La Corte drama is addictive to watch, but at the end of the day, we don’t know these people or what really happened. Every situation has nuance, and millions of viewers sharing their opinions in response videos won’t help either party.

Trad Wife Core 

Avoiding the Ballerina Farm drama proved to be one of the biggest challenges of 2024. What started as a harmless channel turned into a conspiracy of accusations and toxicity. However, this creator is far from the first to glamorize the trad wife lifestyle. The judgement from both sides is problematic and goes back to a lesson we all learned in the early aughts: Being a stay-at-home mom is just as valid as prioritizing your career. Let’s allow women to make their own choices sans judgement.

Shopping Hauls

Fact: We all have too much stuff. Haul videos, which have been around since 2010, have only continued to grow in popularity, glamorizing the overconsumption that’s killing our planet. What’s worse, everyone feels the pressure to keep up—illustrated best when a creator, known for her near-daily Target shopping hauls, was arrested for theft (that’s right, all of the content featured stolen goods).

Take With Us: Underconsumption Core

On the flip side of shopping hauls comes underconsumption core, which encourages viewers to use and celebrate the items they already own. From an environmental and financial standpoint, this is a very healthy and refreshing trend. It’s also something we’ll be bringing with us into 2025.