Here’s how Gen Z is ‘Rickrolling’ people on TikTok
TikTokers have adapted the age-old internet trend of “RickRolling” to maximize the joke for the platform.
Rickrolling began in the early 2000s on 4chan when a link that was supposed to send users to a trailer for a new “Grand Theft Auto” game sent them to the music video for Rick Astley’s 1987 hit “Never Gonna Give You Up.”
Since then, the prank has continued as users across several social media platforms promise to show one thing and play Astley’s song in some capacity. There are even websites that can create custom links to catch an unsuspecting person off guard with Astley’s infamous song.
While people can, and will, continue using that format to prank other users, there’s a new way to leave someone hanging online. Now, users are involving CapCut templates to make the Rickrolling more discreet.
With this strategy, TikTokers will post a picture and put the Rickrolling video in the template.
“This is so messed up,” wrote @melanie_crybaby.0.1 in their post. “What is wrong with people.”
On top of that, people in the comments that are good sports, also play into the joke by telling others to look at the template if they are confused.
“If you guys don’t get it just look at the template,” replied @si_ri80.
“Am i the only one who was starring at the picture for a good 5 mins and then realized it was the template,” replied @nor344a.
The #rickroll has over 1.8 billion views on TikTok, and that doesn’t account for the videos that haven’t included the hashtag.
Billions of people have fallen victim to this prank across platforms and although it is nearly two decades old — and with Gen Z adapting it to today’s formats — Rickrolling will continue as a right of passage for internet users.
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