OPINION: The Recent Uptick of the Devious Licks
By: Ava Bauer and Sophie Kunstman
September 2021
Superfluous and potentially dangerous trends have been part of the internet since its inception—take inhaling cinnamon or swallowing laundry detergent. Now, a new craze has originated on TikTok and found its way into schools around the world.
What started out as an occasional video—set to a token song—that a TikTok user might scroll by casually has now become a much more popular—and serious—affair. Before September 17, anyone could search TikToks tagged with “#deviouslick” and find thousands of videos of students stealing appliances and equipment from their schools for the sake of a viral video. Since then, TikTok has banned the use of the term “devious lick,” related hashtags, or the coined audio, though a bit too late. The trend has remained a prevalent issue at schools and continues to be documented on social media apps including Snapchat and Instagram.
High schools across the country have been affected by these “devious licks,” and West High School is no exception. Anywhere from nabbing soap dispensers and toilet paper to a classroom’s microscope, these mischievous hijinks have crossed boundaries between morals and entertainment. Although West admin has not formally set any boundaries to prevent damaged or stolen property yet, other schools have taken action. A school in Bartow, Florida arrested a 15-year-old vandal, and in Blooming, Minnesota, a school implored parents to monitor their children’s phones. There has been positive action taken in response to this trend, like sixth-grade Alexis Higgins from Las Vegas who used her and her family’s personal money to buy enough products to restock her school’s restrooms, and Kansas’s Washburn Rural High students who raised $700 for their school’s custodial staff.
The growth of this trend begs the question—how far is too far? And what should the consequences be?
September 2021
Superfluous and potentially dangerous trends have been part of the internet since its inception—take inhaling cinnamon or swallowing laundry detergent. Now, a new craze has originated on TikTok and found its way into schools around the world.
What started out as an occasional video—set to a token song—that a TikTok user might scroll by casually has now become a much more popular—and serious—affair. Before September 17, anyone could search TikToks tagged with “#deviouslick” and find thousands of videos of students stealing appliances and equipment from their schools for the sake of a viral video. Since then, TikTok has banned the use of the term “devious lick,” related hashtags, or the coined audio, though a bit too late. The trend has remained a prevalent issue at schools and continues to be documented on social media apps including Snapchat and Instagram.
High schools across the country have been affected by these “devious licks,” and West High School is no exception. Anywhere from nabbing soap dispensers and toilet paper to a classroom’s microscope, these mischievous hijinks have crossed boundaries between morals and entertainment. Although West admin has not formally set any boundaries to prevent damaged or stolen property yet, other schools have taken action. A school in Bartow, Florida arrested a 15-year-old vandal, and in Blooming, Minnesota, a school implored parents to monitor their children’s phones. There has been positive action taken in response to this trend, like sixth-grade Alexis Higgins from Las Vegas who used her and her family’s personal money to buy enough products to restock her school’s restrooms, and Kansas’s Washburn Rural High students who raised $700 for their school’s custodial staff.
The growth of this trend begs the question—how far is too far? And what should the consequences be?