TikTok’s ‘Flip the Camera’ trend: Here's why the viral format is facing backlash online
It remains unclear whether TikTok will intervene or whether the trend will fade naturally.
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A new TikTok trend has swept across the platform — but instead of amusement, it has sparked widespread frustration and concern. The “Flip the Camera” trend, which emerged in late October, has rapidly become one of TikTok’s most contentious formats, with many users arguing that it crosses the line into public humiliation.
One of the earliest clips to gain traction was posted by creator @jaycrudddy and has since amassed more than a million views, according to Know Your Meme. The premise is straightforward: a group hands their phone to someone nearby and asks them to record a dance using the front camera so they can watch themselves. Near the end of the routine, the dancers rush towards the device and flip the camera to reveal the person filming.
However, the seemingly harmless twist has attracted criticism because the people being exposed are often unwilling participants — and, in many cases, not part of the group at all. Mashable reports that those caught on camera include less-popular classmates, unhoused individuals and older bystanders. Since the “reveal” forms the punchline, many users have labelled the trend a form of public shaming.
Instagram creator @coquettesvanilla, who has over 41,400 followers, criticised the format, arguing that it has “turned into straight up bullying.” They added that such videos can leave people feeling “insecure” or “not good enough”, noting: “Bullying isn’t always loud… if someone gets hurt, then it wasn’t fun to begin with.”
Other users have echoed these concerns, with pushback appearing to grow faster than participation. Much of the criticism centres on a single point: the humour only works when someone else is embarrassed.
It remains unclear whether TikTok will intervene or whether the trend will fade naturally. What is evident, though, is that the discussion has shifted away from dance videos to a broader reflection on how quickly a seemingly innocuous format can become a conduit for public ridicule.
