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The Independent •

Controversial TikTok personality Kyle Marisa Roth dead at 36

In an announcement on Instagram on 15 April, Roth’s sister Lindsay shared with fans that the TikTokker died from unknown causes. “As a family we are still processing and deciding how to properly celebrate and honor her life,” Lindsay wrote. “We don’t know [what] happened yet.”

“So many people with her humor, intelligence, beauty, gossip activism, athleticism and more,” she continued. “She had so many gifts. if anyone wants to connect about Kyle, I'm here to talk and share memories.”

She promis
The Independent •

Logan Paul and model Nina Agdal are expecting first child together

The 29-year-old YouTuber and the model announced their pregnancy by debuting her baby bump on Instagram with a series of sweet snaps of the pair kissing and proudly showing off ultrasound pictures of their unborn child. They captioned the carousel of photos, writing: “Another Paul coming this Fall.”

According to a March interview with the Daily Mail, Agdal revealed that the pair got engaged in Lake Como, Italy, in July 2023, just two months after celebrating their one-year anniversary. She expl
The Independent •

What are carefluencers? How influencers are inspiring a generation of caregivers

Carefluencers are highlighting what it’s like to take care of elderly relatives by sharing their day-to-day on the internet.

Grandchildren are increasingly making content on social media showing their grandparents enjoying their old age and going about their lives. Francesca Falzarano - an assistant professor at the University of Southern California Leonard Davis School of Gerontology - told The New York Times that her researchers have coined a term for people who are giving a behind-the-scenes
The Independent •

Porsche pokes fun at Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Beauty phone cases with April Fools’ ad

In honour of April Fools’ Day, luxury car brand, Porsche, hopped on the trend poking fun at Hailey Bieber’s polarising Rhode Beauty phone cases with their own version in a recent Instagram reel.

Bearing a similar grey colour, the Porsche version has its logo emblazoned on the case as well as a similar compartment to hold things. However, instead of holding Bieber’s popular lip balm, the case carries a set of car keys.

In the video’s caption, the brand wrote: “Phone, wallet, keys? Not anymore!
The Independent •

Influencer divides viewers saying men ‘should pay on the first date’

An influencer sparked a debate after saying that men “should pay on the first date” because women spend a lot on makeup.

In a viral TikTok video, beauty influencer Elle McNamara - who goes by BambiDoesBeauty on the platform - took part in an ongoing trend in which content creators break down how much their make-up routines cost. As she did her makeup, McNamara off-handedly said that because the total cost of her look came to £233.07, men should foot the bill on the first date.

Her expensive be
The Independent •

Mothers are normalising messy homes on TikTok

Mothers on social media are trying to normalise having imperfect homes and lifestyles.

In a viral TikTok video, 29-year-old substitute teacher and mother of three Katie Ziemer candidly spoke about the pressure to be perfect as a mother, saying that she often compares herself to the put-together mothers she sees on social media.

“I used to think I couldn’t be a content creator because I don’t live in a pretty house…I mean, look at me.” In the video, Zermer notably kept things lowkey in black sw
The Independent •

Savannah Bananas baseball team goes viral for Dirty Dancing routine

The Savannah Bananas baseball team has gone viral again for their Dirty Dancing routine.

When the opening lyrics of “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes sounded over the PA system during a sold-out game against Party Animals at Jacksonville’s Financial Ballpark, the entire Savannah Bananas baseball team converged to recreate the famous scene from Dirty Dancing.

“It was a massive production that took the whole squad,” Bananas catcher Bill LeRoy told ABC News. “It
The Independent •

Wedding guest accidentally shows up wearing same dress as bridesmaids

A wedding guest has recounted her embarrassment after accidentally wearing the same dress as the bridesmaids.

In a viral TikTok video, unlucky wedding guest Taylor Fogarty (@taylorfogartyy) shared on the platform that she showed up to the wedding accidentally wearing the exact same dress as the bridesmaids. The clip shows Fogarty donning a pale blue gown before panning the camera up to reveal a row of bridesmaids rocking the same thing.

“My Roman empire is the time I showed up to a wedding in
The Independent •

Pregnant woman sparks debate after crying over gender reveal

A pregnant mother has sparked a debate after she was filmed sobbing when her gender reveal did not go to plan.

In a viral video on TikTok, Michigan-based mother Autumn Freeman shared with her followers her reaction to her “gender reveal” after she and her husband Andy popped a balloon only to have pink streamers come out instead of blue like they wanted.

She stitched footage from both her first and second gender reveals, contrasting the different emotional reactions in both clips. Freeman wrot
The Independent •

Parents are ‘pre-folding’ their toddlers before car rides on TikTok

Parents on TikTok are “pre-folding” their toddlers before putting them in the car.

It can be difficult for parents to wrangle their children into their car seats, and nothing encapsulates the struggle quite as well as a recently viral video of a young mother trying to put her child in his seat. In the video, Lauren (@laurarbs1) struggles to get her 17-month-old son, Emmett, into his car seat.

Many took to the comment section of the video to give Lauren advice, with a large number noting that t
The Independent •

Trader Joe’s viral $3 mini totes are now being resold for hundreds

Trader Joe’s mini totes have gone viral on TikTok, and people are now reselling the $3 bags for hundreds of dollars online.

The American grocery store chain’s mini tote bags are currently in high demand, thanks to TikTok. A massive amount of Trader Joe’s customers are buying the highly-coveted mini totes in droves, with clips showing crowds of people rushing to the store to get their hands on the bag.

Influencers have turned the tiny tote into somewhat of a status symbol, as some have shared h
The Independent •

Influencer rescued pigeon and trained it to go out for martinis

An influencer rescued a pigeon and trained it to go out to restaurants.

In a viral series on TikTok called “Purse Pigeon,” party products developer Abby Jardine lets viewers in on her nights out on the town in New York City along with her faithful companion, Pidge, a pigeon she carries with her in her cream, leather purse. Together, they paint the town red, hitting one NYC hotspot after another.

“If I want to go out for drinks or dinner with friends, I just put her in my bag and she’s down to
The Independent •

The Los Angeles edition of the Willy Wonka Experience was an absurdist fever dream

Standing outside a graffitied warehouse in Los Angeles’ Arts District, I didn’t know what to expect from a recreation of Glasgow’s disastrous Willy Wonka event. I had heard a lot about the bungled children’s experience, which included AI-generated characters, sparse and low-budget sets and costuming, and a sad Oompa Loompa who had become somewhat of a local celebrity since the event. Unlike what happened in Glasgow, this event was primarily marketed to grown adults, capitalising off of the meme
The Independent •

What is ‘CrowTok’? The influencers rehabilitating the misunderstood bird’s reputation

TikTok users have built a niche online community dedicated to normalising humans’ bond with crows.

Nicole Steinke, who posts as @Tangobird on TikTok, has taken her habit of feeding crows and turned it into video content - showing people how to interact with the chronically misunderstood birds. Steinke provides treats for a family of six crows called Waffles, Doc and Dotty, and their baby DocTok - the latter of which was named by Steinke’s 284,000 followers.

She reportedly feeds the family twic
The Independent •

What are ‘friendship snacks’ and why are they important to our relationships?

Researchers have found that adult friendships are often maintained through “friendship snacks”.

With busy schedules often making it harder to spend quality time with friends as an adult, sending quick how-are-you texts, adorable animal videos, or memes can be a simple way for friends to maintain their relationships. Even if these interactions tend to ultimately be unsatisfying, they’re not meant to meet the complete needs of a friendship, and instead act as a stopgap for when plans will ultimat
The Independent •

Parents pledge to ban children from using social media until eighth grade

Parents are pledging to ban children from using social media until the eighth grade.

In an interview with NBC News, a mother from Indiana named Emily Meyer spoke about the “Wait until 8th” movement, saying that she’s pledging to only allow her children to have phones when they reach the age of 13. Meyer said that she and her husband had already agreed to wait for their own family to give their children phones.

“We have made kids grow up in this society way too fast,” the mother of three said.
The Independent •

Mother surprises son with Barnes & Noble shopping spree on his birthday

A mother has found herself celebrated on social media after surprising her son with a two-minute shopping spree at Barnes and Noble for his birthday.

In a viral TikTok video, Jaci Moore took her son, Bentley, to one of the bookstore chain’s locations in Illinois on his 12th birthday. She set a timer and gave him one bag from the store to fill up with as many books as he could carry.

“Be nice to the books,” she cautioned him in the video, to which he replied with a smile: “This is your idea.”
The Independent •

Dating coaches spark debate as they push women to embrace traditional gender roles

Online dating coaches are polarising viewers as they increasingly encourage women to embrace traditional gender roles.

In her videos, 24-year-old dating coach Karla Elia often tells her one million followers that they should only date men who can “afford” them, playing into the idea that men are providers while women are receivers.

Elia’s videos have been highly criticised among viewers, but her antiquated advice has resonated among a community of heterosexual women who see relationships betwe
The Independent •

How do TikTok ‘trend forecasters’ do their jobs

Trend forecasters are all over TikTok these days, and are well-known for their ability to drive consumer demand.

Before the digital age took the world by storm, most people turned to the advice of magazines, in which fashion editors would effectively translate high fashion runway collections to the masses with editorial spreads and photoshoots. They were the gatekeepers of style, but with social media making fashion more accessible, consumers have rendered traditional trend forecasters in favou
The Independent •

Gen Z leaves phones on ‘do not disturb’ to avoid notification anxiety

Gen-Z-ers have come clean about why they keep their phones on “Do Not Disturb” at all times.

Found on most mobile phones, the “Do Not Disturb” feature is used by those who block out notifications that could distract from work, studying, or a good night’s sleep. But some people online have admitted to using the feature to curb their anxiety.

On X, formerly known as Twitter, user Max Burns sparked an online debate when he wrote, “TIL that some Gen Z kids keep their cellphones on ‘Do Not Disturb’
The Independent •

Rachel Dolezal loses teaching job over OnlyFans account

Rachel Dolezal has lost her teaching job after her explicit pictures from her OnlyFans began making rounds on social media.

Ms Dolezal - once an African Studies professor in Washington State and the head of the Spokane chapter of the NAACP - became infamous after she was exposed for pretending to be a light-skinned black woman, achieving the look by getting perms and spray tans.

She had disappeared into relative obscurity, until now. Now known as Nkecki Diallo after changing her name in 2017,
The Independent •

The controversy surrounding TikTok’s viral ‘Pookie’ couple

TikTok’s viral “Pookie” couple has found themselves embroiled in controversy.

Campbell and Jett Puckett - a married couple from Georgia - have risen to prominence on TikTok for regularly posting videos of them showing off their outfits. On Campbell’s account, Jett has become an audience favourite for hyping his wife up as she modelled her looks while also lovingly calling her “Pookie.” In one video, Jett commented on his wife’s mini skirt and cardigan combo, “This is the ultimate Friday date ni
The Independent •

TikTok bans ‘Legging Legs’ trend

TikTok has banned the term “legging legs” after an alarming trend circulated on the platform that was flagged as potentially triggering for those with eating disorders.

Although the hashtag #legginglegs has since been deleted from the platform and now directs users to information about eating disorders or disordered eating, the short-lived trend made its impact. It first went viral after women began to share videos of themselves in yoga pants showing off their thigh gaps.

As it was gaining tra
The Independent •

The ‘Birthing makeup’ TikTok trend is dividing new moms

New mothers are divided by the “birthing makeup” trend on TikTok.

With hashtag #birthingmakeup racking up more than 81.3 million views on the platform and one video from user @laedout garnering over 3.5 million likes alone, it seems as though welcoming your child with a full face of makeup has become popular amongst regular women. Some makeup artists predict that this trend is here to stay.

“My Instagram inbox is full of women wanting to book me for their birth,” makeup artist Sarah Stillenber
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