14 | #Trending on Social Media

 #Trending on Social Media

Madisyn Morphew

Professor Reppert 

Reporting and Writing for the Mass Media

Fall 2025

The “Flip the Camera” Trend

If you’ve been scrolling TikTok lately, you’ve probably seen the “Flip the Camera” trend. At first glance, it seems funny. It's a quick clip that catches someone off guard, but the more you watch, the more you realize it isn’t as harmless as it looks.

How the Trend Works

This is how the trend works. Someone asks a friend or even a stranger to film them doing a TikTok dance or pose. Everything seems normal. Then, suddenly, the camera flips to the front-facing view. Now the person who was filming is the one being caught on camera, usually looking surprised, shocked, or embarrassed. The video gains views and becomes popular and everyone laughs at the unsuspecting person.
It is meant to be a harmless joke. However, the problem isn’t the flip itself. It’s about consent. The person being filmed didn’t agree to be the subject of the video. They didn’t sign up for their reaction to be shared online. While TikTok thrives on funny reactions, this trend blurs the line between humor and humiliation. Social commentators are calling it borderline bullying, and honestly, that is not an exaggeration.

This link has a video that has a great explanation of the trend: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQ2vlGKD-IN/

Why College Students Should Care

As college students, this trend hits close to home. We know how quickly content spreads online, how fast a video can rack up views and comments, and how easy it is to feel exposed. Watching someone else get tricked into a video can make you feel guilty, or unfortunately make this kind of behavior seem normal. For students already struggling with self-esteem, social anxiety, and the daily stress of college life, it’s a reminder that online spaces aren’t always safe.

How to Respond

Awareness is key. Participating in trends doesn’t mean following the crowd blindly. Think about consent. If someone hasn’t agreed to be filmed, it’s not worth doing. If you see a friend or classmate being targeted, speak up. Checking in privately can make a big difference. And reflect on your own TikTok habits. Laughing at someone else’s embarrassment is easy, but consider how you would feel if the roles were reversed.

Fun Without Hurting Others

TikTok is meant to be fun. But fun should never come at the expense of someone else’s dignity or comfort. College life is full of trends, viral moments, and memes. It’s also a time to practice empathy and respect, both online and offline. Let’s make sure our fun doesn’t cross the line into bullying.