Comment sections on social media platforms can often be overwhelming, but TikTok’s comment section has taken it to a whole new level. If you’ve been scrolling through your For You Page recently, you’ve probably noticed two phrases that seem to be everywhere: “crop” and “story time.” These comments have flooded TikTok videos, drowning out any meaningful engagement. But why are people using these phrases, and what’s the story behind them? Let’s dive into this bizarre trend and uncover its origins.
Annoying but Purposeful
These comments are intentionally annoying, and that’s precisely their purpose. They have become an inside joke in the TikTok community, meant to spam videos and create a chain reaction of frustrated users commenting about the spam comments. It’s a peculiar phenomenon that transforms the comment section into an echo chamber. Maybe, in a strange way, these spam comments serve some hidden purpose.
Understanding the Origins
The phrases “crop” and “story time” were originally part of TikTok’s comment culture before they became spam memes. “Crop” was often posted when creators used the Shapeshifting filter over an image in the background, prompting other users to request a cropped version of the specific image. This trend garnered so much attention that it turned into a meme.
Similarly, “story time” originated from viral videos where creators shared interesting stories but left out some key details to create intrigue. Viewers would then request a longer video to hear the full story by commenting “story time?” This engagement tactic not only increased the interaction in the comments but also boosted the video’s visibility in TikTok’s algorithm.
As for the phrase “you don’t have this emoji,” its exact origins are harder to pinpoint. However, it likely emerged after a new collection of emojis was released for iPhone users. Those who had not updated their iOS couldn’t see the new emojis and were often left with a � symbol or a box with a question mark. This might have inspired someone to create their own version of the joke, which quickly spread across TikTok.
Dealing with Spam Comments
If you’re tired of these spam comments cluttering your own videos, unfortunately, TikTok doesn’t provide a direct filtering function for blocking specific words or phrases. However, there are steps you can take to clean up your comment section:
1. Access Your Comment Settings
Click on the three bars in the upper right corner of your profile, then tap “Settings and privacy.”
2. Enable Privacy Settings
Tap on the “Privacy” button, and on the next screen, select “Comments.”
3. Filter Keywords
Toggle on the “Filter keywords” button, and a text box will appear where you can enter the words you want to blacklist. Hit enter after each word. Keep in mind that TikTok limits users to blocking only 50 words, so choose wisely.
While you may not be able to completely eliminate these spam comments, implementing keyword filters can significantly reduce their visibility in your comment sections.
TikTok’s comment culture is constantly evolving, with trends and memes emerging and disappearing in a blink of an eye. Understanding the origins and reasons behind these spam comments can help us navigate and appreciate the uniqueness of the platform. So next time you encounter a flood of “story time” and “crop” comments, you’ll be in on the joke.
