Attorney general to talk to TikTok about 'devious licks' viral trend

On Board Online • October 18, 2021

By Eric D. Randall
Editor-in-Chief

The office of Attorney General Letitia James plans to contact TikTok over concerns about the "devious licks" trend linked to school vandalism and physical attacks on teachers.

Officials in James' office said the outreach will take place in response to request from the New York State Council of School Superintendents.

"Schools have faced many challenges during the pandemic, and school leaders want nothing more than to get back to key issues such as improving student academic outcomes," read a letter to James from council President Phylllis Harrington and Executive Director Charles Dedrick. One distraction has been "destruction of school bathrooms in numerous schools," the letter said, citing TikTok videos in which perpetrators brag about such acts.

The Council noted that the trend has taken on new themes: "October has been identified as 'smack a staff member on the backside' followed by November's 'kiss your friend's girlfriend at school.' . We urge you and your office to use all of your authority to work with TikTok to eliminate this trend," the letter said.

The trend originated on Sept. 1, 2021, after a TikTok user posted a video showing a box of disposable masks stolen from school, according to Wikipedia.

TikTok banned the "devious licks" hashtag on Sept. 15 but others have sprung up on multiple platforms boasting of dastardly, despicable and diabolical licks (acts).

In a much less popular counter-trend known as "angelic yields," schools have reported receiving donations to replace items stolen during devious licks.