TikTok content creators warn women to stay away from the "silhouette challenge" 

TikTok is always bustling with trends, with the latest one called the "silhouette challenge." It's gone viral and has been trending for the past few weeks.

This has been me for the past few days #silhouettechallenge pic.twitter.com/VN5xIv9IPi

— dennie. (@denniespeaks) February 2, 2021

To partake in the silhouette challenge, participants begin by standing in front of the camera fully clothed before leaning against the wall in a silhouette with a red filter.

This trend has seen a recent spike of late and is showing no signs of slowing down. However, the trend took a drastic turn when it was discovered that a few individuals were editing the videos to remove the filter.

tw // sexual harassment , sexual predation ....PLEASE SHARE AND REPORT https://t.co/5my8RFwE2a

— likkle miss big 🇯🇲 (@RihIsJamaican) January 28, 2021

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Why is the "silhouette challenge" dangerous?

The trend was intended to be a fun, sexy, body-positive challenge but was soon hijacked by individuals. These individuals in question use a software to remove the red filter from the videos to reveal the person's body in full.

🚨🚨PSA 🚨🚨There’s an account out there openly and brazenly taking requests to remove the red filter from #silhouettechallenge videos. Please report and block @redlightremover for targeted harassment, as well as any account in their mentions co-signing this violence. Thanks. https://t.co/3vLJQTmPpn pic.twitter.com/OPoucdEP65

— wen.i.am 🇭🇹 (@NeutralJing) January 30, 2021

Netizens have been doing good work on Twitter by actively reporting and flagging all tweets related to the TikTok silhouette challenge.

Update: Account has been suspended 🎉

— Chinwe. (@TheChinweIbegbu) January 31, 2021

The Reddit community also swiftly removed the subreddit featuring such tutorial videos. However, YouTube has been slow to take action.

The part 2 of this silhouette challenge won't be funny at all.I advise y'all to delete your videos while you still can, unless you're comfortable with your nudes out there. Perverts have started removing the red light and making the video stark clear.

— Lidocaine 🔆 (@trending_medic) January 28, 2021

There are still dozens of videos floating around on YouTube, with how to edit the "silhouette challenge" videos.

Obviously not linking, but there are videos all over YouTube offering tutorials for how to "remove" the red filter for TikTok's Silhouette Challenge, in which women dance nude or partially nude in silhouette. This is a huge consent violation and @YouTube should remove them ASAP.

— Ej Dickson (@ejdickson) February 1, 2021

These videos have since accumulated thousands of views. Some have even monetized it, according to a report by Media Matters. The term is being searched for so frequently that “how to remove red light in silhouette challenge” has started showing up in the auto-complete section.

In a recent statement made to Rolling Stone, a spokesperson for Google had this to say on the TikTok silhouette challenge:

“TikTok videos that contain nudity can not be re-uploaded to YouTube, as they violate our adult content policies. Additionally, we will remove content uploaded to YouTube that has been altered to reveal participant’s bodies in a way that was not intended by the original uploader. Videos featuring highly sexualized themes would be demonetized."

Many creators have taken to TikTok to warn women against participating in the challenge. A few individuals on social media have adopted the victim-blaming stance instead.

Dont fucking do the challenge. U are the one posting nude videos of yourself on a kids app. DONT FUCKING DO THAT SHIT TF WRONG W U

— Makaveli (@kodakdemiks) February 4, 2021

A lot of professional video editors have come forward and spoken about this in detail. Most claim that there is no technology presently available to achieve this task.

HEY LADIES EVERYTHING IS SAFE WE’RE SAFE OK READ THIS INPUT FROM A VIDEO EDITOR ❤️ https://t.co/3540dqlzir

— ♛ Bella ♛ (@rauhling_bizzle) January 28, 2021

no technology even exists 💀, bro obviously tryna scare, he actually might be doing the right thing cuz some young ass kids gonna start doing this challenge and ain’t nobody tryna see that shit

— • (@moghville) January 30, 2021

One person gave a different opinion on the matter.

It is impossible as a bunch of video editors have said, but is possible from a tech point of view. Saying that though, on a single layer image the number of processes you have to go through, means that you would spend a serious period of time with a very powerful machine to do so

— Stephen Rogers (@soapietrekkers) January 29, 2021

With that being said and done, let's take a look at some comical renditions of the TikTok silhouette challenge on Twitter.

Batman was the first MF to ever do the #silhouettechallenge 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/13tp4LwK6E

— caleb (@caleblaxton23) January 31, 2021

I’m a lil shy 🙈 but better late then neva! #SilhouetteChallenge pic.twitter.com/ZrEEV4Be9R

— Taj💎 (@tajsw0rld) February 3, 2021

This is how it's done, right? #silhouettechallenge pic.twitter.com/h9mxc8tTIt

— Obsidian Rat (@ObsidianRat) January 31, 2021

well i kept it PG as possible 😈 #silhouettechallenge pic.twitter.com/UCwxUAIhDi

— Big CS (@chrisstroz25) February 4, 2021

How'd I do? #silhouettechallenge pic.twitter.com/OjsAmmt7t4

— Ray🈂️ (@_RayCool) January 30, 2021

I can’t do shit in this house 😤😂 #silhouettechallenge pic.twitter.com/tgKRoJ2LJS

— Giovanni Teran (@_giovannipaolo) January 31, 2021

Ideally, a thorough invitation will be soon launched into the matter. TikTok content creators are still advising individuals not to partake in the silhouette challenge until the issue can be sorted out.

In the meantime, the YouTube videos showing how to remove the red light are still present on the platform.