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After the media backlash and crackdown on devious licks, some TikTok users began participating in a countertrend known as "angelic yields", where users anonymously donated items to their schools, such as bottles of soap and rolls of toilet paper, typically to replace whatever had been stolen during a
216:
The original devious lick video was removed on
September 13, and TikTok subsequently began removing videos featuring the trend. It was banned by TikTok on September 15 for violating its community guidelines against illegal activities, by which time the "devious" hashtag had over 235 million views.
165:, a bathroom had all of its urinals and toilets clogged with enormous amounts of paper towels, while other toilet paper was ripped out and thrown to the ground. Another video also showed a student stealing a classmate's pants while the latter was sitting in a bathroom stall.
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demonstrated that three separate videos of supposed "devious licks" were, in fact, all staged, with one video of a student supposedly stealing a microscope actually being of a microscope the student owned at home, and critiqued the media and political response as a
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they claimed to have stolen from school, with the caption "A month into school... devious lick". Similar videos with the term "devious lick" soon flooded the platform, with students stealing items from bathrooms, such as
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267:—to coordinate lobbying and media campaigns against TikTok, without disclosing any connection linking back to Meta. Its efforts included recruiting local reporters to put out stories, writing
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institution, had all the letters of their sign spelling "Cornell
University" within the College Town Bridge stolen, with progress of the crime and missing letters posted on Instagram.
102:
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451:
Called 'devious lick' or 'diabolical lick', teenagers are stealing items like soap dispensers, signs, or boxes of disposable masks and bragging about it on social media.
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in 2021 and has resulted in the arrests of many students as well as various warnings being issued by police departments. It also allegedly spread to some schools in
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172:, three students were arrested from two high schools, as well as one 15-year-old who was arrested for damaging and stealing soap dispensers at
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926:"TikTok creators say they're leaving money, toilet paper, and soap in bathrooms in a reversal of the 'devious licks' school-stealing trend"
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in the name of concerned parents, and drawing attention to trends such as "devious licks" and "Slap a
Teacher" that actually originated on
150:". The videos' captions often modify the name of the trend with synonymous adjectives, such as "mischievous" or "diabolical licks," etc.
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376:"Students are claiming on TikTok that they stole soap dispensers, SmartBoards, and microscopes from schools as part of a growing trend"
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54:, amongst other names) was a challenge in which North American middle school and high school students posted videos of themselves
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Various schools began taking action against the trend, warning students of serious consequences and arrests. Some schools in
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893:"After the destructive 'Devious Licks' trend may come 'Angelic Yields,' social media posts to atone for school vandalism"
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134:. Eventually, students allegedly began stealing items outside of the bathrooms, including exit signs, telephones,
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180:, eight students were charged over the trend, with four receiving theft and four receiving vandalism charges. In
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The hashtag and related search results were redirected to an error message about TikTok's
Community Guidelines.
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The trend originated on
September 11, 2021, after the TikTok user jugg4elias posted a video showing a box of
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Missing soap dispenser at a Texas public school on
September 20, 2021, as a result from a "devious lick".
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632:"Students Across the U.S. Face Criminal Charges After Participating in 'Devious Lick' TikTok Trend"
503:"15-year-old student's arrest linked to banned TikTok challenge after police locate video of crime"
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1026:"'Devious licks' and 'slap a teacher' trends were reportedly part of Meta's anti-TikTok campaign"
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had reported their toilets being sprayed with red food coloring and other forms of vandalism. In
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715:"Vorsätzliches Verursachen des Feuers in der EDS Kriminalpolizei ermittelt in alle Richtungen"
636:
539:"The 'devious licks' TikTok challenge has students stealing toilets and vandalizing washrooms"
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468:"What to Know About the 'Devious Lick' TikTok Challenge – and Why Schools are Warning Parents"
403:
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More serious vandalism attributed to the trend involved broken mirrors and light fixtures. In
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687:"Students warned of harsh punishments, police action, as schools crack down on TikTok craze"
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devious lick, or to hide a gift for someone to find, often in the form of a small amount of
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569:"Florida teens arrested after taking part in 'devious lick' TikTok challenge, sheriff says"
161:, 42 soap dispensers were ripped out from school bathrooms within the span of one week. In
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In addition to schools and the police, various media commentators condemned the trend.
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431:"Stafford County principal warns of consequences over TikTok 'devious lick' trend"
345:"What is the 'devious lick' TikTok trend? What does it mean? Here's what to know"
319:, the word "lick" is defined as "an acceptable, impressive and rewarding payday".
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70:(or, in some cases, merely pretending to have done so). The trend went viral on
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404:"Wait, what is a devious lick? And why am I seeing it all over my TikTok rn?"
17:
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192:, a 15-year-old was arrested for stealing a school toilet paper dispenser.
291:, a risky physical challenge that also gained popularity on TikTok in 2021
279:. Spokespersons of Targeted Victory and Meta defended their firm's roles.
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paid
Targeted Victory—a consulting firm backed by supporters of the U.S.
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838:"Trevor Noah is really not amused by the TikTok devious licks challenge"
768:"Vandalism in Langley schools linked to 'Devious Lick' TikTok challenge"
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812:"If you see people fucking up the Cornell sign, call that shit out"
601:"TikTok 'devious licks' trend: 8 juveniles charged in Boone County"
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was charged for vandalizing a park bathroom near the school. In
142:. The videos were typically accompanied by a sped-up version of
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660:"Social media challenge brings increase in school vandalism"
954:"TikTok trend leads to vandalism in Gloucester schools"
62:, or showing off one or more items they stole in their
866:"The Grown-up Hysteria Around TikTok's Devious Licks"
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Knight, Cameron; Endale, Brook (September 17, 2021).
786:"'Devious Licks' TikTok challenge hits Huron County"
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742:"N.B. schools vandalized in viral TikTok challenge"
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988:Lorenz, Taylor; Harwell, Drew (March 30, 2022).
27:2021 TikTok trend promoting vandalism and theft
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952:Bradford, Taylor Ann (September 23, 2021).
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343:Rodriguez, Katherine (September 15, 2021).
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658:Hollingsworth, Paul (September 20, 2021).
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990:"Facebook paid GOP firm to malign TikTok"
501:Pelletiere, Nicole (September 17, 2021).
630:Goldstein, Joelle (September 20, 2021).
466:Goldstein, Joelle (September 16, 2021).
461:
459:
130:, sinks, mirrors, and floor and ceiling
966:from the original on September 23, 2021
905:from the original on September 21, 2021
766:Claxton, Matthew (September 18, 2021).
515:from the original on September 17, 2021
441:from the original on September 15, 2021
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126:dispensers, toilet paper roll shields,
836:Navlakha, Meera (September 23, 2021).
563:
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402:Mooney, Georgia (September 16, 2021).
924:Haasch, Palmer (September 21, 2021).
740:Sutherland, Marie (October 8, 2021).
537:Marples, Megan (September 18, 2021).
532:
530:
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864:Colyar, Brock (September 22, 2021).
338:
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1024:Schroeder, Audra (March 30, 2022).
25:
1469:Internet memes introduced in 2021
251:Amplification by Targeted Victory
221:Public response and countertrend
259:reported that Facebook's owner
1449:Vandalism in the United States
721:(in German). February 16, 2022
1:
1325:Everywhere at the End of Time
1078:Internet challenges and dares
1386:List of Internet challenges
228:Journalist Brock Colyar of
186:Stafford Senior High School
1485:
825:https://imgur.com/tR0gWir
195:In May and June of 2022,
182:Stafford County, Virginia
107:Liberty North High School
959:Gloucester Daily Times
901:. September 20, 2021.
437:. September 15, 2021.
190:Mohave County, Arizona
178:Boone County, Kentucky
110:
35:
1429:2020s fads and trends
163:Huron County, Ontario
105:
33:
1459:Juvenile delinquency
1396:Blue Whale Challenge
1229:Exploding watermelon
1197:Golden retriever egg
577:. September 17, 2021
295:Censorship of TikTok
289:Milk crate challenge
170:Polk County, Florida
1444:Vandalism in Canada
1401:Momo Challenge hoax
995:The Washington Post
606:Cincinnati Enquirer
255:In March 2022, the
66:, typically from a
962:. John Celestino.
719:Taunus-Nachrichten
197:Cornell University
174:Bartow High School
111:
36:
1416:
1415:
792:. October 7, 2021
695:. October 7, 2021
212:Platform response
184:, a student from
42:(also known as a
16:(Redirected from
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115:disposable masks
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18:Devious licks
1391:Urban legend
1331:
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1308:Skullbreaker
1303:Salt and ice
1271:Choking game
1192:Chubby bunny
1132:
1128:24 Hour Fort
1033:. Retrieved
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136:smart boards
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40:devious lick
39:
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1219:Neknominate
1164:Running Man
1107:Rice bucket
1092:Book bucket
772:Today in BC
237:moral panic
140:microscopes
124:paper towel
60:vandalizing
1423:Categories
1298:Milk crate
1288:Knife game
1250:Safe Hands
1202:Hot pepper
1102:Ice bucket
1097:Food stamp
699:October 9,
327:References
201:Ivy League
1370:Tide Pods
1334:blindfold
1245:22 Pushup
1159:Mannequin
1035:March 30,
1009:March 30,
1004:0190-8286
796:March 14,
751:March 14,
207:Reactions
88:Australia
1379:See also
1365:Planking
1350:Benadryl
1332:Bird Box
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1207:One Chip
1187:Cinnamon
1112:TrashTag
964:Archived
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513:Archived
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1439:TikTok
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