Sixty percent get their news from TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. Here’s why that has experts alarmed.
🚨 Don’t fall for it: Scammers are posting AI videos on TikTok promising free versions of Microsoft Office and Spotify. All you had to do? Run a short line of code. Plot twist: It installed malware that could steal your passwords and credit card info. And with no links involved, it was harder to detect.
58%
Lower risk of cognitive decline for older folks who use tech like smartphones and computers. A study says learning new tools and staying connected online can actually help keep your brain sharp. So much for “digital dementia.” Just maybe don’t spend six hours a day on TikTok.
🔞Texas going hardcore parental: Texas wants to ban all minors under 18 from using social media. That means no Instagram, no TikTok, not even Facebook (RIP). Kids would need an ID to make accounts, and platforms would have to delete profiles if parents ask. Lawsuits incoming from tech giants and probably teenagers themselves.
🤖 Fake dog alert: Those viral ads slinging “military-grade robot dogs” for $49? Total scam. They’re Frankensteining DARPA clips, festive music and lies at scale. YouTubers are debunking it so you don’t spend your rent money on a vibrating Furby with one wheel. And yeah, TikTok is letting it happen anyway.
Dumb TikTok prank: Kids are sneaking up behind people in stores, tapping their phone to your phone and playing the Apple Pay “ding” sound. No, they’re not stealing your money. They’re just faking it with a sound clip. It gets worse. Someone’s filming your reaction. Because apparently, that counts as great content now.
46%
The increased risk of hemorrhoids if you scroll on your phone while on the toilet. A new survey found that prolonged scrolling sessions on the porcelain throne might be more dangerous than you think. Maybe it’s time to swap the TikTok binge for, I don’t know, getting off the toilet. What’s it called when you get a hemorrhoid in space? An assteroid. (That was a good one!)
Cavemen love rock music: Have a teen? Know that TikTok viral videos are telling teens to do absolutely nothing to their face. No products, not even water. The idea? Let the skin barrier heal naturally. But dermatologists say it leads to acne, clogged pores and infections. Cavemen also didn’t have mirrors. Just saying. Can a joke about dinosaurs make you laugh? You bet jurassic can.
TikTok’s got a pulse: TikTok just dropped its “AI Alive” feature, which animates photos into surreal little videos with sound, motion and vibes. Your beach pic now sighs wistfully, your group selfie smiles mid-scroll. It’ll be labeled AI-generated. Here’s to hoping it can also animate my will to fold laundry.
🍆 Hard pill to swallow: Scammers on TikTok are using AI deepfakes to sell Viagra-like pills. One classic? A jacked guy holding a giant carrot, saying the product boosts testosterone and energy levels. PSA: They’re using fake doctors and celebs, too. Don’t buy it, you never know what they are putting in those pills.
🔞 Sick social media trend: Awful accounts are using AI filters to make the women in overly sexual TikTok and IG gym videos look as if they have Down syndrome. They’re adding captions like “Syndrome is down but your d is up.” Why? It goes viral, and they try to redirect people to adult sites. And yes, the original clips are stolen.
🔮 Pet psychics on TikTok: Suckers, I mean people, are paying up to $250/hour to have strangers “speak” with their pets (paywall link), alive or dead. According to one dubious Dolittle, a cat told its owner he’s “very handsome.” I saw a heavyset woman doing this with 220,000 followers. She’s definitely a four-chin teller.
ChatGPT ruined my husband — May 10th, Hour 2
Her ex quit his job and now spends his days talking to AI. Then I talk to Michaela, a bride-to-be using ChatGPT for a wedding glow-up. Plus, why your smart TV might already be obsolete, and TikTok pet psychics charging $100 a session.
🚫 No ban, no problem: TikTok’s execs are telling advertisers to relax, promising the app’s staying power despite that little thing called a federal ban potentially kicking in next month (paywall link). With 170 million U.S. users and Super Bowl ad ambitions, TikTok says it’s too big to flinch.
Cash dive: It’s happening across the country. The NY Times spotlighted how UNC is turning its diving team into influencers with sponsorships, style guides and TikTok training. It’s all part of the school’s push to make every athlete a content creator. Imagine getting cut from the team for poor engagement and bot followers.
Sam Altman wants your eyeballs — May 3rd, Hour 2
Forget passwords. The creator of ChatGPT is scanning irises to build a global crypto economy. Also, Noah from Virginia bought an old laptop and found a kid’s ’90s homework saved on it — so he read it on TikTok and made the internet cry. Plus, an Apple AirPlay hack and the chance to buy your own Waymo.
💀 DIY neck crack: Chiropractic neck “adjustments” are all over TikTok. So are reports of strokes, nerve damage and ruptured arteries. The internet’s favorite crack (not that one) could basically snap your brain off. So before you adjust yourself straight into the void based on something you saw online, heed my words: Please don’t.
$10 million
How much revenue TikTok creators are collectively pulling in daily. New data also shows it’s now the second most-watched livestreaming platform on the net. So far in Q1: Twitch has 4.85 billion hours, TikTok Live 8.03 billion and YouTube leads with 14.98 billion hours. Dang, that’s crazy.
👎 Social media is over: That’s what Mark Zuckerberg says. Meta’s being sued by the government for acting like a monopoly, but Zuck says every app does the same thing. TikTok and YouTube are just news, celebrity promos and AI slop now, like Meta. So really, what hold do they have? The days of friends posting real updates are long gone (paywall link).
“KYS” isn’t harmless teen slang: Parents, you might see “kys” or “keys” online and think it’s just another TikTok-ified acronym. But it’s actually short for “kill yourself,” and it’s alarmingly common in teen comment sections and DMs. Some teens use it jokingly (🤨), but it can land with real emotional weight.