Social media's 'LOLCow' pattern is curated cruelty

When curious minds Google “LOLCow,” a phrase making the rounds throughout TikTok, the primary hyperlink to populate is to an outdated weblog server, its mission preserved solely in Google’s archived web page description: “Anonymously share juicy gossip and candid opinions about silly and weird folks, often known as lolcows. Freedom of speech pleasant.”

City Dictionary suggests a number of comparable, however various, definitions for a LOLCow. An individual “who is straightforward/secure for almost all of individuals to mock. It is a money cow however you as an alternative milk ‘lols’ from it,” describes one. One other: “A lolcow is an individual you get intensive laughs from, who would not know they’re being made enjoyable of. They’ll typically assume they’re admired for what they’re doing, however secretly are being laughed at always.” And, much less to the purpose, “Somebody who makes a idiot of themselves on the web again and again. Often drug spurred.” A closing one for the sports activities followers: “A time period that can be utilized to explain a perennial manufacturing unit of unhappiness in sports activities…”

The idea, whereas contemporary in TikTok’s vernacular, is not significantly new, a vestige of early web days the place nameless accounts gave customers the gall to brazenly harass one another as a part of the digital carnival. It is a time period integral to the 4Chan lexicon, and lots of level to Christine Chandler, a former blogger now embattled by on-line trolls and accusations of each unlawful and unethical habits, as one of many web’s preeminent LOLCows.

What has developed because the days of accepted on-line trolling is most people’s entry to the LOLCow. New one-stop-shop platforms like TikTok provide creators intense spikes of virality (and cash) practically in a single day, typically stemming from the algorithm’s crowning of a brand new app obsession.

Not simply fodder for a fleeting meme or an obsessive sub neighborhood, these people turn out to be the star of everybody’s FYP. They’re flown out to collaborate with huge creators, pegged for model offers, and given the instruments to show their on-line persona — which, in lots of circumstances, stems from the power to be mocked — right into a supply of earnings. An surroundings rife for manipulation, TikTok obscures the fashionable LOLCow below the guise of affection and fandom. Obsessive posters aren’t at all times following simply to be merciless, some consider, no less than in line with their feedback, they’re constructing neighborhood with the web’s underdogs.

‘Milking’ LOLCows: trendy bullying or innocent enjoyable?

In a 7-minute lengthy video posted by person @PinkBinz on Aug. 31, TikTok’s model of a “LOLCow” is described because the goal of “center college bully” habits, through which a person is uplifted by disingenuous engagement from viewers. To be extra exact, in line with the creator, the LOLCow is thinly-veiled cruelty, if not outright ableism. “LOLCows are virtually at all times picked out by the web as a result of they basically have disabilities,” she says, pointing to the rise of creator Shawty Bae, who has not recognized as somebody with a incapacity. “Ninety-nine p.c of the time, if these folks have been by no means concerned within the web, their life would have been fully completely different. Many of the issues that occur to them of their actual life have occurred due to the influence of individuals on the web bullying them.”

In a remark preferred greater than 13,000 occasions, one viewer added, “lolcows are proper wing pipelines to attempt to make it appear to be disabled persons are risks to society. It’s eating regimen eugenics.” 

One other video, posted in 2023 by @GamerMagee, argues that extra consideration must be paid to the people who find themselves baiting creators. “The extent of depravity of the people who find themselves f*cking with them is simply mindboggling,” he mentioned. Commenters likened the rise of LOLCows to the recognition of TV exhibits on channels like TLC, parading “uncommon” behaviors, appearances, or trauma for scores. 

Not all watchers really feel that manner, nonetheless, arguing they discover these creators relatable or that they solely need to “verify in” on them out of compassion. “If you’re ever questioning why you might be drawn to shawtybae, it’s as a result of she doesn’t attempt to be anybody however herself. In a world that wishes perfection, she doesn’t take herself too significantly and she or he’s extremely humble regardless of her fame,” wrote one person on a YouTube video that includes Shawty Bae.

“Genuine” is joined by different, much less form phrases used to explain the TikTok creators pegged as new period LOLCows: “straightforward targets,” “gullible,” “susceptible,” “memeable.” Viewers on @PinkBinz’ video chimed in with dozens of examples falling below these classes, every with fervent “fanbases,” together with viral pages of these like Tophia Chu, trans creator Elphaba Orion Doherty, Daniel Larson, and — some of the controversial — @WorldOfTshirts. Joshua Block, the face of World of Tshirts, shot to reputation within the pandemic-spawned TikTok growth, recognized for his day by day vlogs round New York Metropolis that includes spontaneous performances, verbal assails, and harmful ingesting. His account, adopted by 3.6 million folks, boasts much more thousands and thousands of views by onlookers who proclaim to obsessively watch his movies out of morbid fascination. 

Block and Chandler are examples of the awful path “LOL farming” can head, the place incessant goading leads creators down more and more dangerous pathways and infrequently abusive habits, lobbed towards themselves or others. In some examples, LOLCows are outrightly doxxed or the victims of swatting. In others, they turn out to be engagement-getters for different creators, like the connection between Block and creator Mr. Primarily based NYC, utilizing them to develop their very own channels.

LOLing exterior of TikTok

There exist extra mainstream situations, too: The obsessive protection of YouTube star Gabbie Hanna’s erratic habits and subsequent manic breakdown, documented in its completeness on her TikTok web page. Or the mass consumption and meme-ing of Britney Spears’ eccentric social media movies, particularly these posted throughout her battle for independence from her conservatorship, that nonetheless continues at present. 

Much more difficult: A number of the hottest LOLCows are, within the eyes of the web (and infrequently the legislation), “unhealthy” folks, the perpetrators of professional crimes, threats, or problematic habits. Others branded with the title are right-wing, and even white supremacist, figureheads. Cancel tradition thus collides with LOLCows in a flurry of retaliatory on-line habits. 

Off TikTok, there are devoted subreddits and Discord servers tasked with following the spirals of those creators, together with Block, with posts oscillating between concern and mockery. This on-line voyeurism additionally features a 15-year-old Wiki web page devoted to Chandler’s actions and a complete host of “snark” pages providing boards for widespread LOLCow dialogue. 

TikTok & LOLCows: Made for one another

To many, TikTok is greater than a hub for viral humor and proposals, it is a LOLCow manufacturing unit farm. 

And the place blogs of yore have been extra up entrance with their cruelty, the fashionable notion of a LOLCow is much less on-the-nose in its detestation of distinction. As a substitute, folks say they have interaction out of the urge to supply recommendation or, extra generally, actuality checks — take the incessant commentary spawning from the courting weblog of way of life creator Molly Rutter as instance. Others, for all intents and functions, say they’re real followers of the creator. Feedback like “you realize what, hell yeah” or “cannot inform the chat I f*ck with this” convey the concept these human beings are an embarrassing responsible pleasure. However what’s much more regarding is how the fashionable social media panorama exacerbates these urges. Platforms harnessing countless scrolling, pushing e-commerce alternatives, and including all-encompassing search integrations, hold folks locked to their units, a suggestions loop between creator and person that promotes much more obsession.

Will web tradition develop out of LOLing at folks?

Within the age of on-line profitability — the probabilities of the creator financial system not but found within the early 2000s — this parasocial relationship can lead down sudden paths. A number of the aforementioned personalities and different ridiculed creators have pivoted to grownup content material, linking Solely Followers pages of their bios to capitalize off of their virality. Within the case of ShawtyBae, express pictures taken from her Solely Followers account have been leaked on-line with out consent, extra gasoline for the fireplace. Others lean into money-making ventures by means of model offers, celeb appearances, or product endorsements. Public ridicule turns into inextricably tied to their livelihood. 

At giant, increasingly persons are reckoning with the moral repercussions of posting on social media, from the generational trauma of household vlogging, to the platforming of individuals with disabilities by creators, with or with out their consent. The revival of the phrase LOLCow in public consciousness, whereas a regarding continuation, suggests extra persons are changing into conscious of social media’s darkish facet.

Alongside rising self-awareness, and a renewed love of criticism, amongst customers, some are repositioning the phrase as a behavioral verify for his or her friends on-line: Are you actually partaking with a creator out of sympathy, enjoyment, or care…  or are you milking them for “LOLs”?