People who have used TikTok would know just how addictive the app can be. Until very recently, many refused to get used to app saying the content was 'cringe-worthy' and a waste of time.?
But the lockdown changed everything it seems.
Now everyone is on the app and largely dependent on it to deal better with boredom and anxiety. Having said that, it's extremely disconcerting to know that the app briefly allowed a hashtag that mocked the autistic community.?
In a now taken down hashtag called #AustismChallenge, people were seen posting videos while mocking autism behaviour. While some were seen making fun of seizures other were seen posting videos making fun of strange behavioural patterns.??
Sample the atrocious video below, it mocks behavioural patterns of autistic people and the person who shared it on Tik Tok says, 'Whats this app come to?'
#1?
And it went like ....... ##foryoupage ##foryou ##featureme ##fyp
? original sound - conservativehypehouse
Another video mocks seizures that autistic people suffer from:
Tik Tok/anu.ahuja.88??
@anu.ahuja.88 E23!!!!!! ##savebeetlejuice ##makeadrink ##videocall ##foryoupage ##fyp ##heartbeenbroke ##throwitbackforarealone ##3weeksofforeplay ##autismchallenge ##duet ##
? Go Stupid - Polo G, Stunna 4 Vegas & NLE Choppa feat. Mike WiLL Made-It
What's even more disconcerting is that people on the app are using the audio from some videos.
@30818372329 ##autismchallenge ##fyp ##foryoupage
? original sound - louiewright6
Some have used the original dialogue 'Well Alice, it seems we both got Autism haven't we,' with a distorted filter to mock autistic people.?
#3
@lil.bowwwww ##whirlpool ????##fyp
? original sound - louiewright6
#4
@jamiemcneight Happens too often ##foryou ##viral ##comedy ##meme ##relatable
? original sound - louiewright6
#5?
@oliviarees1 ? original sound - louiewright6
A user on TikTok pointed out the same problem of such audio being allowed and slammed those who were continuing to post these regressive videos:?
@paigelayle STOP USING THE FUCKING AUDIO YOU ABLEIST SHITS. ##autism ##awareness ##foryou ##fyp ##xyzcba
? original sound - paigelayle
Somehow most of these videos have managed to make it to TikTok's fyp (for you page) without having been taken down or coming under the scanner of TikTok's scrutiny guidelines.?
According to reports, the videos started spilling onto Facebook, YouTube and Twitter and users have started reporting the challenge and are urging others to get the videos taken down on all social media sites.
A TikTok has user spoke against the trend calling it "bullying":?
@michaelcaza1 ##autismchallenge ##autismawareness ##stopbullying ##standuptobullying ##autismawesomness
? original sound - michaelcaza1
Another YouTuber named?Kerry Magro, a professional speaker who himself is on the autism spectrum also slammed the video-sharing platform for being lackadaisical about their community guidelines with the controversial autism challenge.?
In the past,? TikTok has been involved in controversies because of things like the NSFW boob slap challenge. Another time was when a teen girl on TikTok apparently 'ate' her tampons to 'get back her blood.'