From Botox To Ballet Flats: This TikTok Trend Is Calling Quits On Modern Fads

On social media, a trend can go viral faster than you can say “trend.” With pop culture evolving at lightning speed, it’s hard to keep up with the ever-changing terminology, catchphrases, and concepts circulating online. Still, there are moments when you might resist the latest craze—or, as TikTok users are calling it, refuse to fall for the "propaganda." In case you missed it, Gen Z is banding together to call out and reject popular trends, making it very clear where they stand.

Traditionally, “propaganda” refers to the spread of ideas or information—often biased or misleading—to promote or undermine a cause, group, or individual. But on TikTok, the term has taken on a new, tongue-in-cheek meaning. From dating apps and “SkinnyTok” to the clean girl aesthetic and Botox, creators are pushing back against mainstream obsessions with a new format: “Propaganda I’m Not Falling For.” These videos are going viral, racking up millions of views, and turning rejection of the norm into its own kind of trend.

Diving into the deep end of The Propaganda, I am not falling for 

The concept of "propaganda" means "the spreading of ideas, information, or rumour to help or injure an institution, a cause or a person." Online, the "Propaganda I'm Not Falling For" TikTok craze has gained a lot of traction very fast. The videos, which are primarily made by young, female creators presenting lists of items they consider propaganda, are frequently set to songs. The mostly humorous trend involves authors listing social conventions or advertising strategies they believe to be deceptive, dishonest, or harmful. One thing is certain: everyone has some form of idea of propaganda they are not falling for, even though some of these lists cause division in the audience as individuals debate their own opinions.

Users worldwide are sharing their accounts of propaganda they have come across, ranging from racism and cyberbullying to fashion trends and outmoded notions. Users collectively declared what they were not going to fall for: casual racism, fat-shaming, and losing your identity. Another TikTok user shared a video that focuses on the most absurd aspects of life, stating that she doesn't believe in paying for dates or that ballet flats are comfortable. These lists include a wide range of subjects, some of which are lighthearted and others of which are more sombre and frequently have to do with the experiences of contemporary women.

Be it beauty standards or employment demands, the trend sees creators dissecting facets of modern life, and diverse trends that they have seen served on social media. In online forums, many of these trends are divisive. Some social media creators are totally against Botox, while others are all for it. The so-called "clean girl" aesthetic, which is a minimalist and natural fashion and cosmetics trend, has been appreciated by some and ridiculed by others and has long caused debate online.

On TikTok, the hashtag "propaganda" currently boasts over 200,000 posts, and if you take a peek at the comment sections under most videos, you'll see social media users either sharing their lists or nodding in agreement with those already posted. This shows that the movement is picking up steam. The rise coincides with a change in the types of information being promoted online and in the dominating aesthetics. In recent years, there has been an increase in content that promotes traditional gender norms. 

People publishing "propaganda" lists about their favourite TV series and bands is another example of how the tendency has caught on in internet fan communities. Therefore, even if you don't talk about it, I strongly encourage you to sketch your notions of propaganda if you haven't already. Setting limits with the internet is always beneficial, particularly at a time when unhealthy beauty standards and "aesthetics" are being romanticised. At least you will know exactly what to watch out for as new online trends come and go, even if you choose not to spread the misinformation you are not falling for. TikTok has swiftly taken notice of the trend. 

Views expressed by the author are their own.