What is the TikTok crying trend? Fake cry challenge goes viral and stirs controversy

Women using a viral TikTok sound to prove how well they can fake cry are being widely criticized online, with some calling the trend “chilling.”

With the popularity of short-form video app TikTok snowballing over the past couple of years, it has become the home of countless viral trends, challenges, dances, and more.

Although plenty of the trends are harmless enough, many of them have been criticized online for being dangerous to the participant, or offensive toward certain communities.

A new trend that’s doing the rounds on the platform is called the ‘crying trend’ or the ‘turn it off’ trend, and shows people using a popular TikTok sound to prove how realistically they can fake cry.

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Participants begin the video by crying hysterically, and as the beat drops, they abruptly stop crying and go deadpan to prove just how fast they can switch between emotions.

‘TikTok crying trend’ criticized online

However, with many of the most viral videos featuring white women, the challenge has been condemned on social media.

Writer Imani Barbarin responded to the trend on TikTok. “I don’t have anything to say except, we been knew,” she said. “We know under a system of white supremacy who is the most dangerous. This is not a trend. Look under the sound. This is not a trend, this is just our lives.”

Another user said the trend is “not funny,” adding that, “the power those waterworks have over a black person’s LIFE is shown time & time again in cases like Emmett Till.”

While TikToker Hannah Stocking’s video has over 3 million likes, the comments have been flooded by people calling out the challenge.

The top comment reading ‘this isn’t the flex you think it is’ has over 21,000 likes.

The trend continues to be criticized widely across multiple platforms, with videos explaining why the trend is problematic garnering hundreds and thousands of likes on TikTok.