On Jan. 19, TikTok was supposed to be banned from the U.S.. Since the CEO of TikTok, Shou Zi Chew, refused to sell TikTok to a U.S.-based company, the Supreme Court ruled to ban the app.
On Jan. 18, at approximately 10:35 p.m. ET, the ban went into effect. However, after just 14 hours without TikTok, the ban on the app was lifted.
Amid the chaos, a controversial trend began among influencers. While under the impression that TikTok was nearing its end, influencers began revealing they were faking their online persona as a “last hurrah” on the app.
To partake in the trend, influencers used a clip from the TV show “Family Guy.” They would mouth the words, “I did not care for the Godfather,” then reveal their secret.
Several influencers debunked or revealed past controversies, routines or acts that viewers were under the impression were true. However, since TikTok is working again, those who participated in the trend are now facing an awkward reality.
From planted Squishmallows to made-up workout routines, the lies are endless. With a new understanding of how influencers keep up with their platforms, it has become apparent that viewers should not be so trusting.
The first influencer confession that shook many fans was Lexi Hidalgo, who exposed during her famous “coffee talks,” she never drank a coffee she made. At the start of her career, Hidalgo was known for making coffee while giving advice.
After participating in the trend, viewers were taken aback. Many people believed she had wasted several coffees, but she later clarified by sharing that the coffees would go to her friends or mother.
However, Hidalgo also confessed to not partaking in the workouts she would post as she claimed she thought of it as “giving inspo.” She later apologized to her fans and explained that she was naive when posting the workouts and felt as though people misconstrued her confession.
Carter Kench, otherwise known as @cringecarter on Tiktok, was another influencer who faced backlash after participating in the trend. Kench started his career on TikTok by finding rare Squishmallows in stores near his area.
His followers believed his rare Squishmallow collection was completely organic. However, Kench revealed he was lying after partaking in the trend.
According to his TikTok, he would order the Squishmallows online and pretend to find them in stores. Fans were left feeling betrayed after hearing the truth, but Kench assured his fans he still enjoyed hunting for the Squishmallows even if it was fake.
On a more nostalgic note, Charli D’Amelio also wanted to get something off her chest before the ban. D’Amelio posted a TikTok of herself on her spam account telling her fans she was not using an “anxiety pen” in videos from her past.
In 2020, internet personality Larray spread the rumor D’Amelio did not vape but instead used an anxiety pen. Fans were left speculating after the rumor spread.
However, D’Amelio’s participation in the trend solidified that she was using a vape in her past videos. With this new information, many fans felt satisfied to know their suspicion was finally confirmed.
Haley Kalil, otherwise known as @haleyybaylee, was another influencer to fall victim to the trend by providing clarification on a past controversy.
Kalil faced backlash at the 2024 Met Gala for posting a TikTok to the sound “let them eat cake,” a quote from the film “Marie Antoinette,” while posing in front of the public.
At the time viewers were enraged with how out of touch with reality the influencer seemed considering the state of the economy and the luxury life she lives.
Fans found it amusing when Kalil admitted she had no clue where the sound was from or the context of the quote. TikTok recommended the sound because it was trending at the time and she used it because she thought it was from a “chick flick.”
Finally, in the wake of the trend, the Duolingo account felt it was time to unveil who was under their iconic mascot. After years of creating quirky content, TikTok users grew to adore the Duolingo owl.
The world was taken by surprise when it learned Mark Pavic, a marketing manager for Duolingo, was wearing the costume. Unsure of who exactly Pavic was, viewers took to irony and sarcasm to celebrate Duo’s reveal.
With TikTok still available in the U.S., several influencers who participated in this trend prematurely exposed themselves. Based on these confessions, audiences now must re-evaluate who they follow online.
