Press your fingers to your lips and pull down your jawline — track more social media trends on TikTok.
The “squeak” lets others know that you are trying to shape your jaw by pressing your tongue against the roof of your mouth.
The measure is named after controversial British orthodontists John and Michael Mew, who promoted the theory of orthotropy, which states that the position of the tongue determines the shape of the jaw.
Although the science is questionable, its influence on teens’ social media habits is very real.
“The biggest surprise is how addicted they are to it, how addicted they are to it,” said Andy Forbort, assistant principal at Grand Forks High School.
Forbort said it feels like the competition for students’ attention is losing out to social media trends. He had never seen it croaked in the school hallways, but he had seen student-athletes doing the move on video from the state hockey tournament.
The video reached 50,000 views on TikTok.
“That’s the reality of social media,” Forbort said.
Frustrated with the focus on screens, Forbort began rewarding students who did not use their phones during the free period.
“I run up to them and hand out cookies and just say, ‘I’m so glad you’re here. Enjoy this moment,'” Forbort said. “It’s sad because it’s rare, but it gives me energy when I see it.”
Not all teenagers posing in chirp videos are actually trying to work out their jaws, but there’s a more alarming dark side to this trend: chirp forums.
These online communities appear to be aimed at young men and boys. Teenagers anonymously post photos of themselves in an attempt to change their still-growing faces.
“I need real help (your advice will be my action),” one user wrote.
“Everyone please help,” another posted.
“Any tips on how to lose face fat?”
Eating disorder experts say these questions can indicate an unhealthy preoccupation with body image.
“It reinforces and reinforces that you’re not right and you’re not good,” said Hilmar Wagner, an education specialist at the Emily Program, an eating disorder treatment center.
Wagner says the biggest mistake parents make is assuming this trend is harmless to everyone.
“Especially in acts like chirping, the goal is to physically change a part of the body, and that effort is made,” Wagner said.
The Surgeon General agrees. According to last spring’s advisory, 46% of teens reported having a worse body image after scrolling through social media.
Wagner worries that these short-term trends could lead to long-term effects on mental health.
“It’s here to stay and will continue to negatively impact us all long after the barking is a thing of the past.”
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