TikTokers are being warned against trying viral TikTok hacks that claim to catch your cheating partner, with the CEO of the charity Refuge describing the videos as “appalling.”
TikTok is home to a wealth of viral content, spanning just about every category out there. From dance videos to bizarre challenges, almost anything has the potential to go viral on the ByteDance-owned app.
Just like other platforms, life hacks are a huge source of content for creators on TikTok, and tech hacks involving phones and other devices go viral on a regular basis.
However, users are being warned against trying or promoting one particular form of hack. These popular videos teach people how to track a partner’s whereabouts using their phone, and claim that they will be able to catch their cheating partners using this location data.
Videos including these strategies can garner millions of views on TikTok, with commenters saying they’ve tried it out for themselves.
However, this type of content has generated criticism toward TikTok and the people trying these iPhone cheating hacks. Speaking to The Sun, CEO of the charity Refuge, Ruth Davison, revealed the danger behind the promotion of these tricks.
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“These videos are appalling and should be removed immediately,” she said. “Refuge supports women every day who have been harassed, stalked, controlled, and intimated by their partners or ex-partners who are using technology to perpetrate abuse.
She went on to add: “Social media companies who allow this sort of content to be put and remain online are putting women’s lives in danger.”
Chief executive of the charity Action Against Stalking, Ann Moulds, also explained: “This is a clever use of technology to teach would-be stalkers and abusers how to track their partners. It’s very dangerous to share. It is encouraging people to commit a criminal offense.”
In response to criticism against a host of dangerous trends over the years, TikTok updated its community guidelines in February 2022.