Do you know many people who are not on TikTok? Probably your neighbor’s 4-year-old kid and their grandma both have it. It’s taken the world by storm back in 2020 when all we could do was sit and stare at our phones, so it’s not much of a surprise. Still, it’s proved that it was not a short-lived Internet trend and has since become a major platform used for entertainment, promoting current events like Coachella festivals, but also marketing and business promotion.

One thing that’s specific about TikTok is the challenge aspect. Basically, there’s a challenge to do something, a dance, a move, or an action, and you use the same sound which kind of works in the same way as a hashtag, grouping them all together. There are many, many other challenges, but most of them are fun dances that challenge others to learn and move. There are also quirky ones, like listing universal stuff we have in our houses regardless of the country or even the continent. Everyone has a big plastic bag where we shove other plastic bags, right? 

You can also learn a lot from challenges that rate various stuff, like books, movies, or games. One popular trend or challenge that’s constantly relevant is rating online games like poker. For example, a user will rate a game of online blackjack for real money and the quality of their welcome bonuses, the graphics, and the speed of multiplayer card games, or compare bonuses on different websites. Online gaming enthusiasts can learn a lot without testing the games themselves and this is one of the positive sides of TikTok’s global impact.

However, during its initial boom stage, there were some questionable challenges there, to say the least. Even though TikTok has been around since 2018 (yeah, you read that right), its breakthrough was in 2020 and that’s why this article is going to be dealing with cringy challenges in the last three years.

The "Skull Breaker" Challenge
The worst thing about challenges is that they can be very, very dangerous. The "Skull Breaker" challenge is one of the most dangerous trends to appear on TikTok in recent years. The challenge involves three people standing in a row, with the two on the outside kicking their feet out from under the person in the middle. The goal is to make the middle person fall to the ground. You can imagine how it ends. The person falls and often hurts themselves.

The trend gained popularity in early 2020, and several incidents of serious injury were reported. The trend had to be banned by TikTok, but not before it caused harm to many kids and even adults. TikTok responsibly, people!

The "Benadryl Challenge"
You can tell by the name that this one is as cringy as it is dangerous and disturbing. The "Benadryl Challenge" was a weird trend from 2020. It involved users taking large amounts of Benadryl (allergy meds) to try and get high. Obviously, someone died. A child from Oklahoma lost her life from an overdose while doing the challenge. 

The trend was heavily judged by medical professionals and was also banned by TikTok. It also sparked conversations about the dangers of the platform, but in the end, it is up to us and the parents of underage kids to be responsible on social media and otherwise.

The "Pee Your Pants" Challenge
Okay, moving on to less danger, more actual cringe, and that is the "Pee Your Pants". Gross and dumb, the challenge was a thing in 2021. The challenge dared the users to pretend to pee their pants in public, which often caused confusion and awkwardness for those around them. Believe it or not, it was also banned by TikTok! Man, their plates are full. 

This trend was criticized for its inappropriate content and for encouraging people to engage in embarrassing and potentially harmful behavior. 

The "Devious Lick" Challenge
Talk about ‘stealing’ someone’s thunder on TikTok. The "Devious Lick" challenge is a more recent TikTok trend from 2021 and surprisingly, it’s not about licking dirty stuff. It was students stealing items from their schools, things like soap dispensers, bathroom stall doors (how do you steal a door?), and fire extinguishers, and then posting videos of their theft on TikTok.

The trend quickly spread to schools across the USA and has caused damage to school property. The trend was also banned by TikTok, and schools had to work extra to prevent kids from participating. 

The "Milk Crate Challenge"
If you’re by any chance looking for a perfect combo of stupid and dangerous, the "Milk Crate Challenge" is it. Back in 2021, it challenged people to climb a pyramid of milk crates stacked like stairs and it often resulted in falls and injuries. What a surprise, said no one. 

Some more serious consequences were head trauma and broken bones! And you guessed it, TikTok banned this one as well. The point is, every platform TikTok included, can be used to spread joy, awareness, and fun. There are even entire pages dedicated to popular sounds and the challenges behind them that you can partake in without doing any harm. Why use it for cringe and dangerous stuff? Make it make sense.