“You won't believe what my child saw on TikTok!”

Historical Introduction

Absurd content on the internet is nothing new. The very beginnings of internet culture were, among other things, marked by so-called shock sites—well known to any loyal user of early internet. These are websites that contain explicit photos or videos of various extreme acts. Most often, they depict violent, discriminatory, pornographic, grotesque, or horrifying content that triggers intense unpleasant emotions and even physical reactions in the viewer. In the early days of the internet, such sites were often shared as pranks—misleading links that unexpectedly led to this type of content. The spread and popularity of these materials were also driven by videos showing people's reactions to what they saw. Thus, “reaction videos” emerged, sometimes even featuring celebrities, proving how much of a cultural phenomenon this truly was.Nowadays, content creators are digging up such materials from the archives and reviving them on newer social media platforms like TikTok. So, the legacy of early internet culture is still present today, although new phenomena are clearly emerging alongside new generations.

Changes After 2020

It's difficult to define a precise boundary between different historical periods of the internet, but it's clear that the COVID-19 pandemic and the entry of Generation Z into the digital world played an important role. With the growing normalization of remote work, even more communication moved to online environments, and values like flexibility, autonomy, and comfort came to the forefront. Ideas about earning extra money, passive income, and online influencing as modern ways of achieving financial stability flourished. During periods of self-isolation, people passed the time by baking bread—but the activity itself only seemed to matter if it was shared on social media. The daily pessimistic reporting by journalists pushed many into endless scrolling through social media, which—due to the infinite nature of online content—can last for hours. Excessive use of digital devices significantly increased, and the consequences are still visible today.

We now observe a general decline in attention span, difficulties with emotional regulation and frustration tolerance, blurred boundaries between work and private life, and challenges in interpersonal relationships. The format of videos on social media platforms is becoming shorter and shorter, both overt and covert advertising is more present than ever, and ideas about quick money-making online have become a norm—even among teenagers. Posting is easy, requiring no special skills or knowledge, so it seems like an excellent opportunity to earn money with little effort. Some approach this analytically, by studying trends and tracking their own progress, while others randomly test what might go viral or be profitable. Regardless of strategy, it quickly becomes clear that borderline content is extremely attractive to viewers.

The Old and the New on Social Media

By borderline content, we mean topics that are considered taboo in society—such as sexual, vulgar, disturbing, violent, or criminal content. Although such materials have always attracted high viewership due to human curiosity, the current situation is amplified. Even in the past, it was clear that a reality show would be more successful if it included dramatic situations, arguments or fights, love stories, or a contestant's nervous breakdown. Similarly, news with sensationalist headlines usually receives more clicks. Today, platforms like TikTok and YouTube promise a simple path to earnings through high viewership—and we’re talking about numbers that far surpass the records from, for example, 2010.

Many individuals thus attempt to find success on social media. They start creating content, posting it, then might host a livestream and discover systems of donations and gifts. This can happen via a separate website, where a fan can “buy a coffee” (i.e., donate money in support of the creator), or directly through the social media app. During livestreams, viewers purchase gifts for the performer, who then converts them into real-world currency. In return, the creator acknowledges the gift—by reading the donor’s username, writing it in calligraphy, dancing, making a sound, completing a challenge, or similar actions. A sort of competition also emerges between viewers—to prove who is the most loyal, brave, or dedicated donor and thus earn a special place in the community. Another common mechanism is group participation (e.g., viewers need to send 100 gifts for a siren to go off and wake someone up). In this way, we quickly shift from innocent to bizarre, grotesque, scary, or disgusting content. The video must stand out enough to win the battle for viewers’ attention. It must be absurd enough to maintain the interest of the average app user, who mindlessly scrolls through content every few seconds.

Mechanisms

Both viewers and creators experience desensitization and normalization. The first time a certain type of content is encountered, it may be extremely shocking. Then, after seeing similar content a few more times, the emotional impact weakens. With repeated exposure to shocking content, we build tolerance—we need increasingly more intense stimuli to feel the same effect. Creators, in turn, gradually get used to the extremity of their own actions. The first time they do something outside their comfort zone, they may feel uncertain, ashamed, regretful, or disappointed—but over time, these reactions lessen. This is followed by a long phase of resignation or even emotional numbness, during which the person becomes especially vulnerable. Negative experiences accumulate, even if the person doesn’t consciously recognize or emotionally react to them. This increases the likelihood that they will agree to something truly dangerous—illegal, harmful to their health, threatening to their future, or even life-threatening and traumatic. Viewers may push them further through comments, private messages, threats, or simply by watching the content. Because of the permanent digital footprint, even a single post or video can seriously jeopardize a person’s employment opportunities, interpersonal relationships, safety, and privacy—both for the creator and their close ones (e.g., partner, children). Participating in such activities also increases the risk of developing mental health issues.

What keeps shock-content creators making these decisions? Beyond shifting perceptions of normality and rising thresholds of acceptability, it’s important to consider which psychological needs social media fulfills: the need for belonging, progress and success, competition, recognition and fame, and being seen. In the physical world, a person may struggle to form relationships, feel rejected or isolated—yet online, they suddenly have an audience reacting, commenting, sharing. Even mockery or concern are forms of attention that make someone feel noticed. Even if they become famous for something that horrifies others, it’s still fame—and of course, there’s money, too. Often it's small amounts, but enough to create the feeling that the next time, the reward might be bigger.

Why do we, as viewers, watch and respond to such content? There is no simple answer. Part of it is certainly curiosity, part is the temptation of forbidden content, part may be rebellion against social norms, and part may even be spiteful enjoyment—wanting to see something bad happen to someone else. Another part is disbelief, watching just to see whether someone will actually go through with an act. An additional factor is the sense of power and control—being able to make another person do something just by spending a small amount of money. That’s something we rarely experience in real life.

The fact is that anyone can accidentally come across shocking content, because there’s just so much of it. Often, all it takes is watching a clip a few seconds longer than usual—even without liking or commenting—for the algorithm to identify it as content we’re interested in and start showing us more of it. Then there’s sharing—even just copying the link and sending it to someone else counts as engagement. The app recognizes this as a reaction, and the video is then shown to even more users and ranked higher in search results.

What Can Be Done

It’s clear that we can’t completely avoid such content. Although apps include filters for inappropriate materials and penalize creators by shutting down their profiles, these measures are largely ineffective. Despite the time and money platforms invest in identifying and removing harmful posts, there’s simply too much content. And with increased exposure to digital environments, the likelihood of encountering inappropriate content grows—especially for children and teenagers, who are a key target audience. Their brains are still developing, making them more easily influenced. They learn by observing, form their values and identity, connect with others, and search for a group to belong to.

That’s why it’s crucial to talk with children and teenagers frequently, openly, and specifically. This means listening to them with genuine interest, asking about the content they see, and not judging them if they’ve been exposed to inappropriate material. Most likely, they came across it accidentally or someone else showed it to them, and they didn’t know how to respond. Parents and other adults must ensure that children develop critical thinking and confidence in taking action when confronted with such content. Together, we can practice the entire process: reporting inappropriate content, informing a parent or trusted adult, saving evidence if the content involves violence, seeking help, if necessary. There are many high-quality (including Slovenian) resources online with advice on how to respond to harmful content.

We must avoid rejecting or shaming the child when they reach out. What might seem minor to us as adults may be deeply confusing or frightening to the child. Let’s give them our full attention, try to understand what they need in that moment, and help them cope with the situation. This builds trust and shows that we’re a reliable adult—someone they’ll turn to again when facing uncomfortable experiences. Otherwise, we risk withdrawal, secrecy, and isolation. The child may start handling these problems alone, without adult support. It’s essential to first understand their digital world, and only then talk about the risks and consequences.

We can also explain, in simple terms, how reactions on social media work and why it’s best not to give attention to creators of harmful content. This way, we protect the child and reduce support that enables such material to thrive. At Logout, we recognize that solving such a widespread problem requires systemic solutions. Platform owners should face stricter penalties to motivate more effective regulation. Every platform that targets children and teenagers, or offers child-friendly content, should give special attention to protecting minors. It’s disheartening to hear stories from former content moderators, who describe the superficial practices of tech companies. It often seems like their promises of safety are empty words, while profit remains the priority. We believe there’s a lot of work ahead to change the digital environment and make it safer and more respectful for all users.