Haunted TikTok has been trending since October of 2019. The phenomenon has been attributed to Urban legends, Horror movies, and Storytime. In some countries, it’s even caused panic-buying at grocery stores. The videos show deserted highways, a food shortage, and shadowy ghost figures.
Haunted TikTok
Haunted TikTok is a relatively new genre that has rapidly gained popularity on social media. Originally a sub-category of TikTok, Haunted TikTok has branched out into several different sub-categories, including ghost tours, creepypastas, and viral horror stories.
The term Haunted refers to videos where people are replaced by ghostly figures. These videos have gained a lot of views, but they’re also quite disturbing. Some of the videos have received up to 11 billion views! There are also videos showing deserted highways, and even mention a food shortage.
Haunted TikTok started appearing in 2019, and it has now gone mainstream. Although it’s still fairly new, it is becoming an even bigger phenomenon in 2020, and it has become increasingly popular, with many users linking it to the horror genre. In fact, Haunted TikTok is an adaptation of traditional oral storytelling.
One of the first viral Haunted TikTok videos featured a young Taylor Swift. The girl is seen answering the question “Is your house really haunted.” Swift then replies “not as far as I know,” and it seems that many fans assumed that the singer’s house is not haunted. After viewing the video, however, users were quick to comment that Taylor Swift’s house is not really haunted.
Another Haunted TikTok video featured a TikTok user who uploaded a lip sync video to his 1.9 million followers. The user was unaware of the danger lurking behind him. During the recording, an outline of a human can be seen lurking in the background. Luckily, a viewer noticed the creepy figure and commented on the video. It has since received over 27k likes and views.
Urban legends
Urban legends are tales that have been handed down from generation to generation. Some of them are simply myths, while others are meant to scare people and teach them a lesson. Regardless of the reason for a tale, the fact remains that they are extremely terrifying. Many of these tales are too unbelievable to be taken seriously, but incredibly believable.
TikTok is not just the latest dance craze – it’s also becoming a massive hub for scary stories. Stories with the hashtag #tiktok scary have gone viral, with 2.6 billion views so far. The videos have also become trending content on social media, which is a sign of their power.
Horror movies
If you love horror movies, you’ll love TikTok’s latest addition. The app has created challenges aimed at helping horror movie enthusiasts decipher the Easter eggs and symbolism of the films they watch. Fans can rate up to a thousand horror movies to find out which ones are scary and which ones are not.
One recent movie to become popular on TikTok is Megan Is Missing, a film released in 2011. The movie follows the disappearance of a high school student named Megan Stewart. Amy Herman investigates the case and comes to an eerie conclusion. Upon its release, the movie was banned in New Zealand, and it’s received heavy criticism for its sexualisation of teenagers, violence and poor quality acting.
Storytime
The most popular trend on the internet is storytime videos. These videos are created by a creator who sits down with an audience to tell a true story. Many of these stories are based on personal experiences, and many are even true. In one story, TikToker kaylamalecc remembers seeing a ghostly figure walk past her window. While she did not catch the ghost in the video, she did talk to the camera in a video that quickly went viral.
In another video, an Inuit makeup artist and horror storyteller, icutyolawnduhh, tells a scary story. He starts by telling a story about a father and son who work at a gas station. Their son is told not to pick up a woman who asks for a ride. Unfortunately, this woman turns out to be a serial killer.