The Brief: "Put a finger down" TikTok videos feature people holding up five or ten fingers and then putting one down each time a statement applies to them.

Bluesquiggle
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The TikTok “put a finger down” challenge derives from the game “never have I ever” in which people take turns sharing experiences they’ve never done. When someone in the group has done something that’s mentioned, they must put down one of their fingers, or in a drinking-based variation of the game, take a sip of their drink.

The TikTok version of this game usually only features one person who puts a finger down each time they or the audio they’re using mentions something they’ve done. Variations of these videos and memes sometimes call people out for certain behaviors or use the premise as a way to share an extremely niche experience.

#PutAFingerDown On TikTok

@briannaWhoops ##rosa ##dayattheoffice ##putafingerdown ##handsupchallenge ##question ##answer♬ original sound – hottie.mcthottie04

@ahh.zjaiWas I wrong tho? 😗 ##putafingerdown ##liberal ##feminist ##duet ##ontherunway ##politics ##bhm ##trump2020 ##usethisaudio ##fyp ##bts ##blm♬ if u disagree ur the problem – ah.zjai

@tiktokpjayWho else cheated off a test and still failed 😭😭🙈 and had a crush on a teacher!! ##fyp ##foryou ##viral ##xyzbca ##putafingerdown ##neverhaveiever♬ original sound – tiktokpjay

@yeahimcarolineTag someone who went through this stage in middle school ##comedy ##putafingerdown ##funny♬ put a finger down kind of Emo Edition – juulifyourecuul

@boywiththehatyeee ##fyp ##fypシ ##putafingerdown ##topdog ##laminarflow ##howto ##tutorial ##xyzbca ##duet ##viral ##trend ##4u ##foryou ##relatable♬ put a finger down – boywiththehat

Niche & Embarrassing Stories

This trend can also be used for #StoryTime-like rants. Rather than sharing experiences that are actually relatable, some TikTokers use this meme to share detailed accounts of hyper-specific and highly embarrassing things that have happened to them.

@seaweedslapsWhen did this game get so relatable omg 🙈 ##celebratedoctors ##sidehustle ##coronavirus♬ original sound – seaweedslaps

@thegoldeenoreoboiPut a finger Down ##foryoupage ##fyp ##putafingerdown ##quarantine ##edition♬ original sound – thegoldeenoreoboi

@marcsebastianfand that’s on being a closeted little ##gay boy from Long Island. ##putafingerdown ##lgbt ##nyc ##foryou ##fyp ##comedy♬ original sound – marcsebastianf

@olivia.truelovei emailed housing today to discuss changing roommates bc of this…. ##foryou ##workroutine ##buthaveyouseen ##CleanFreshHype ##putafingerdown♬ original sound – olivia.truelove

@slut4jesusbeing an edgy kid in catholic school be like ##putafingerdown ##fyp ##foryou ##devil ##soul ##catholicschool ##thanksmscota♬ original sound – slut4jesus

@sydward_tortelliniArlen, if you’re out there, I’m sorry. ##putafingerdown♬ original sound – sydward_tortellini