Home About Articles Reel Blog Contact

Internet Culture

The Independent •

What is ‘hoa hoa hoa’ season? How ‘Twilight’ soundtrack evokes cold weather nostalgia

With fall having arrived in full force, many social media users have taken to declare that “hoa hoa hoa season” has arrived. Inspired by the aesthetics of the first movie of the Twilight saga and its soundtrack, particularly “Eyes on Fire” by Blue Foundation, scoring sweeping shots of foggy pine trees and cold grey skies, vocals singing “hoa hoa hoa” at the beginning of the song have in recent years become emblematic of cold weather nostalgia. This year, social media users are saying goodbye to...
The Independent •

Zoo admits that their pandas are actually ‘painted dogs’

A Chinese zoo has admitted that the pandas in their exhibits were, in fact, “painted dogs.” According to the New York Post, visitors at the Shanwei Zoo realized they were being bamboozled when the so-called pandas began panting and barking. Pandas are native to China and an international symbol of the country. In one visitor’s video, one of the “pandas” was visibly panting while resting on a rock in a fence, while another clip had a panda with a long tail strolling about.“It’s a PANdog,” one vie...
The Independent •

Mother goes viral for emailing teacher to opt son out of homework

A mother has gone viral after emailing her son’s teacher in an effort to opt out of homework. In a viral TikTok video, mother-of-three Cayley (@cayleyxo) shared how her son received a 15 to 20-page, double-sided homework packet on his first day of kindergarten. The packet was meant to encompass all of his homework for August, but when the sight of it stressed her son out, she sent the teacher a “cutesy” email. She started the video, explaining: “I sent my son’s kindergarten teacher a cutesy litt...
The Independent •

Passenger of nine-month cruise says it’s ‘bizarre’ to return to land as trip ends

A passenger of the infamous nine-month cruise said it’ll be “bizarre” to return to land after the trip ends. In a TikTok video, Dr Jenny (@drjennytravels) has been chronicling her entire journey aboard a nine-month cruise around the world, gaining a loyal following in the process. With less than a week left of her trip, the doctor has been reflecting on her experience, noting how “bizarre” it will be to step on land after being at sea for so long. “Look at this,” she said in the video, pointing...
The Independent •

Two passengers lock crying child in airplane bathroom on flight

Two strangers locked a little girl in an airplane bathroom after the child wouldn’t stop crying. According to CNN, the shocking incident occurred on a Juneyao Airlines flight from the southwestern city of Guiyang to Shanghai on 24 August. Video, which went viral on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, captured two strangers refusing to let out a little girl from the bathroom if she didn’t stop crying. Although the clip has since been deleted from the platform, one of the strangers, a woman, re...
The Independent •

‘She doesn’t live in Paris, she survives’: Influencer shocks viewers with apartment

An influencer’s tiny $530-a-month Paris apartment shocks viewers. In a viral Instagram video, Peruvian communications student Natalia Vega showed off her 97-square-foot apartment in the City of Light’s gorgeous 7th arrondissement. After moving from Peru to Paris in December 2021, she began posting content chronicling her adventures as a student in France. More than 50,000 followers later, Vega gave her followers an insight into the not-so-glamorous side of living in Paris. She took viewers on an...
The Independent •

What is TikTok’s ‘very demure, very mindful’ trend?

The “very demure, very mindful” trend has taken over TikTok. In a viral TikTok video, self-described “fierce diva” and content creator Jools Lebron shared a satirical clip on why women should present themselves conservatively in the workplace. She recommended that women rock looks that are “demure and modest and respectful at the workplace.”“You see how I do my makeup for work? Very demure. Very mindful,” Lebron said in the video. “I don’t come to work with a green-cut crease. I don’t look like...
The Independent •

Influencer couple say they felt ‘vulnerable’ during their stay in a glass hotel room

An influencer couple have claimed they were left feeling “vulnerable” during their stay in a glass hotel room. In a viral video shared on the popular TikTok account A Pretty Cool Hotel Tour, Margaret Bienert and her husband Corey shared footage from their stay at the Paradiso Hotel a few years ago in Ibiza, Spain. “When I say glass box hotel room, I mean a literal glass box in the lobby of the hotel. We were super unprepared for the experience,” she explained. “All I knew going into this was tha...
The Independent •

Are you ‘doomscrolling’? New study reveals its negative impacts

Scientists have found evidence proving that “doomscrolling” is bad for your brain. In a recent study published in the Journal of Computers in Human Behavior Reports, a team of researchers found there was a connection between doomscrolling and feelings of existential anxiety, despair, distrust, and suspicion of others after surveying over 800 university students from the US and Iran.According to Flinders University researcher Reza Shabahang, who is the study’s lead author, constant exposure to ne...
The Independent •

TikTokers react to ‘Sweet Valley High’ author Francine Pascal’s death

An outpour of heartbroken reactions have emerged on TikTok upon news of author Francine Pascal’s death. On Sunday, 28 July, the 92-year-old former soap opera scriptwriter and best-selling author of the Sweet Valley High young adult series died at New York-Presbyterian Hospital from lymphoma. The news of her death was confirmed by her daughter Laurie Wenk-Pascal. In one video shared to TikTok after the news, a user named Shonda expressed her shock and grief, addressing her fellow Gen X young adul...
The Independent •

What is ‘rejection therapy’? New TikTok trend pushes people to combat social anxiety

TikTok’s latest mental health trend, called “rejection therapy,” is offering one way to combat social anxiety. With the “rejection therapy” tag garnering more than 63 million views on TikTok, many people have increasingly documented their trials and tribulations as they place themselves in scenarios where they could be socially rejected. From giving a stranger their number to asking someone to buy them food, users are embracing discomfort as a way to overcome their fears and build their confiden...
The Independent •

The cringey internet trend so many are guilty of: What is Sadfishing?

Anyone who uses social media will recognize that one chronic oversharer who posts cryptic quotes about self-worth on their Instagram Stories or vague captions hinting that karma will be coming for some unsuspecting someone.

Academic researchers have called this attention-seeking behavior “sadfishing” – the act of posting on social media for sympathetic comments and reactions.

The term was first coined by journalist Rebecca Reid in 2019 when it turned out that Kendall Jenner‘s vulnerable tale o
The Independent •

Controversial TikTok personality Kyle Marisa Roth dead at 36

In an announcement on Instagram on 15 April, Roth’s sister Lindsay shared with fans that the TikTokker died from unknown causes. “As a family we are still processing and deciding how to properly celebrate and honor her life,” Lindsay wrote. “We don’t know [what] happened yet.”

“So many people with her humor, intelligence, beauty, gossip activism, athleticism and more,” she continued. “She had so many gifts. if anyone wants to connect about Kyle, I'm here to talk and share memories.”

She promis
The Independent •

Logan Paul and model Nina Agdal are expecting first child together

The 29-year-old YouTuber and the model announced their pregnancy by debuting her baby bump on Instagram with a series of sweet snaps of the pair kissing and proudly showing off ultrasound pictures of their unborn child. They captioned the carousel of photos, writing: “Another Paul coming this Fall.”

According to a March interview with the Daily Mail, Agdal revealed that the pair got engaged in Lake Como, Italy, in July 2023, just two months after celebrating their one-year anniversary. She expl
The Independent •

What are carefluencers? How influencers are inspiring a generation of caregivers

Carefluencers are highlighting what it’s like to take care of elderly relatives by sharing their day-to-day on the internet.

Grandchildren are increasingly making content on social media showing their grandparents enjoying their old age and going about their lives. Francesca Falzarano - an assistant professor at the University of Southern California Leonard Davis School of Gerontology - told The New York Times that her researchers have coined a term for people who are giving a behind-the-scenes
The Independent •

Porsche pokes fun at Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Beauty phone cases with April Fools’ ad

In honour of April Fools’ Day, luxury car brand, Porsche, hopped on the trend poking fun at Hailey Bieber’s polarising Rhode Beauty phone cases with their own version in a recent Instagram reel.

Bearing a similar grey colour, the Porsche version has its logo emblazoned on the case as well as a similar compartment to hold things. However, instead of holding Bieber’s popular lip balm, the case carries a set of car keys.

In the video’s caption, the brand wrote: “Phone, wallet, keys? Not anymore!
The Independent •

Influencer divides viewers saying men ‘should pay on the first date’

An influencer sparked a debate after saying that men “should pay on the first date” because women spend a lot on makeup.

In a viral TikTok video, beauty influencer Elle McNamara - who goes by BambiDoesBeauty on the platform - took part in an ongoing trend in which content creators break down how much their make-up routines cost. As she did her makeup, McNamara off-handedly said that because the total cost of her look came to £233.07, men should foot the bill on the first date.

Her expensive be
The Independent •

Mothers are normalising messy homes on TikTok

Mothers on social media are trying to normalise having imperfect homes and lifestyles.

In a viral TikTok video, 29-year-old substitute teacher and mother of three Katie Ziemer candidly spoke about the pressure to be perfect as a mother, saying that she often compares herself to the put-together mothers she sees on social media.

“I used to think I couldn’t be a content creator because I don’t live in a pretty house…I mean, look at me.” In the video, Zermer notably kept things lowkey in black sw
The Independent •

Savannah Bananas baseball team goes viral for Dirty Dancing routine

The Savannah Bananas baseball team has gone viral again for their Dirty Dancing routine.

When the opening lyrics of “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes sounded over the PA system during a sold-out game against Party Animals at Jacksonville’s Financial Ballpark, the entire Savannah Bananas baseball team converged to recreate the famous scene from Dirty Dancing.

“It was a massive production that took the whole squad,” Bananas catcher Bill LeRoy told ABC News. “It
The Independent •

Wedding guest accidentally shows up wearing same dress as bridesmaids

A wedding guest has recounted her embarrassment after accidentally wearing the same dress as the bridesmaids.

In a viral TikTok video, unlucky wedding guest Taylor Fogarty (@taylorfogartyy) shared on the platform that she showed up to the wedding accidentally wearing the exact same dress as the bridesmaids. The clip shows Fogarty donning a pale blue gown before panning the camera up to reveal a row of bridesmaids rocking the same thing.

“My Roman empire is the time I showed up to a wedding in
The Independent •

Pregnant woman sparks debate after crying over gender reveal

A pregnant mother has sparked a debate after she was filmed sobbing when her gender reveal did not go to plan.

In a viral video on TikTok, Michigan-based mother Autumn Freeman shared with her followers her reaction to her “gender reveal” after she and her husband Andy popped a balloon only to have pink streamers come out instead of blue like they wanted.

She stitched footage from both her first and second gender reveals, contrasting the different emotional reactions in both clips. Freeman wrot
The Independent •

Parents are ‘pre-folding’ their toddlers before car rides on TikTok

Parents on TikTok are “pre-folding” their toddlers before putting them in the car.

It can be difficult for parents to wrangle their children into their car seats, and nothing encapsulates the struggle quite as well as a recently viral video of a young mother trying to put her child in his seat. In the video, Lauren (@laurarbs1) struggles to get her 17-month-old son, Emmett, into his car seat.

Many took to the comment section of the video to give Lauren advice, with a large number noting that t
The Independent •

Trader Joe’s viral $3 mini totes are now being resold for hundreds

Trader Joe’s mini totes have gone viral on TikTok, and people are now reselling the $3 bags for hundreds of dollars online.

The American grocery store chain’s mini tote bags are currently in high demand, thanks to TikTok. A massive amount of Trader Joe’s customers are buying the highly-coveted mini totes in droves, with clips showing crowds of people rushing to the store to get their hands on the bag.

Influencers have turned the tiny tote into somewhat of a status symbol, as some have shared h
The Independent •

Influencer rescued pigeon and trained it to go out for martinis

An influencer rescued a pigeon and trained it to go out to restaurants.

In a viral series on TikTok called “Purse Pigeon,” party products developer Abby Jardine lets viewers in on her nights out on the town in New York City along with her faithful companion, Pidge, a pigeon she carries with her in her cream, leather purse. Together, they paint the town red, hitting one NYC hotspot after another.

“If I want to go out for drinks or dinner with friends, I just put her in my bag and she’s down to
Load More

Let's get social!