TikTok Secrets Exposed

CREATOR NEWSLETTER


January 19 was supposed to be the day TikTok closed forever in the United States. The US government decided that the video-hosting platform threatened national security and must be sold away from Chinese company ByteDance. Before its fond farewell, many creators fearing losing their platforms chose to have one last hurrah and air out their TikTok secrets.

However, the app was only down for 16 hours, with Trump pushing the sale back at least 75 days, leading to these confessionals staying up much longer than creators thought.

The most popular format featured a Family Guy clip in which patriarch Peter Griffin shares a hot take while drowning. Influencers from all across genres shared their darkest TikTok secrets over Peter’s voice. Some were clearly not that serious.

People confessed their sketch characters weren’t real and that seemingly spontaneous interviews were scripted. Someone admitted they never actually used specialty ice cubes in their cooking videos.

Even TikTok’s original viral star Charli D’Amelio got in on the action. The creator confessed that in a 2020 viral video, she wasn’t smoking “an anxiety pen.” D’Amelio also admitted she still has no idea what an “anxiety pen” even is.

However, others received much more attention, testing the strength of their parasocial relationships.


PLATFORMS

…And TikTok Is Back Again (For Now)

Hand holding phone with message that says "welcome back! thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump's efforts, Tiktok is back in the U.S.! You can continue to creature, share, and discover all the things you love on tiktok! Continue."

Stop Eating Plastic When You Cook

Let’s face it…pretty much everything is leaching plastic into our bodies. Caraway Home founder Jordan Nathan got “Teflon Flu” (a real thing, Google it) and set out to change that unfortunate reality, at least in your kitchen (and his). Everything they make is toxic free and non-stick, and their 5 year anniversary collection looks incredible. Check them out.


IN THE BIZ


PLATFORMS

Instagram Introduces Edits, a CapCut-Style Editing App

The timing is more than a little suspicious.

By Charlotte Colombo, Passionfruit Contributor

Instagram Introduces CapCut-Style Editing App

CULTURE

Creators Find Themselves Embroiled In Drake, UMG Lawsuit

According to the lawsuit, UMG launched a campaign to make ‘Not Like Us’ go viral.

By Charlotte Colombo, Passionfruit Contributor


JOB BOARD


WHAT WE’RE WATCHING

Content for Creators.

News, tips, and tricks delivered to your inbox twice a week.

Newsletter Signup

Latest Newsletters

  • Kathleen Kennedy Is Not Hiding In This Email

    Kathleen Kennedy Is Not Hiding In This Email

    CREATOR NEWSLETTER Issue #182 | November 2, 2023 How’s everyone’s candy hangover? At this point, there’s usually just trash candy left lying around the house, enjoy chiseling those Milk Duds out of your teeth for the next few days. I’m thankful and impressed there were virtually zero regrettable “current event” gags on my timeline this…

  • The Cringeification of Costumes

    The Cringeification of Costumes

    CREATOR NEWSLETTER Issue #181 | October 31, 2023 There are swathes of creators whose whole content strategy revolves around reacting to “cringe” content. YouTube, in particular, thrives on being a bit of a freakshow. As YouTube essayist Contrapoints points out in her essay about cringe, this kind of voyeuristic content is often fueled by an…

  • How Do You Solve a Problem Like Jason Calacanis?

    How Do You Solve a Problem Like Jason Calacanis?

    CREATOR NEWSLETTER Issue #180 | October 26, 2023 Oh, what a time to be young in the world: so much potential on the horizon: an infinite multiverse of possibilities, stemming from right this moment into that beautiful question mark of the future. Youth is wasted on the blah blah you get the point. I’m being…