What's the Deal with Choking Trends on TikTok?

TikTok is full of trends, but one that's been causing some concern is the #chokekink trend. This trend involves videos about sexual choking, which has become quite popular among young people. In a recent study, researchers looked at 96 videos related to this trend over two days. They found that most of these videos were short, entertaining skits with text annotations and sampled sounds. Interestingly, the videos focused more on the desire for choking rather than the potential dangers. The people in these videos were mostly young, traditionally cisgender females. While most videos showed consensual choking, there were also instances where choking was linked to dating violence. The study identified 11 themes, including the idea that choking is pleasurable, that it's a sign of an ideal masculine partner, and that it can be intimidating for the person doing the choking.Only six videos were educational, and all of them contained misinformation. For example, some claimed that there's a "right" way to choke based on pressure location or intensity, or that losing consciousness is a sign of safety. This is concerning because it can give people the wrong idea about the risks involved. The study suggests that educators, policymakers, and technology companies need to address this issue. It's important to provide accurate information about the dangers of sexual choking and to promote safe practices.