"It Isn't Just Cringe, It's Dangerous" — What to Know About the "Yes You Can" TikTok Trend

Some TikTok trends, like the “Good Night” trend, are silly and totally harmless. But then there are others, like the “Yes You Can” trend, that cross the line into downright disturbing and dangerous territory. It’s still unclear how the "Yes You Can" trend even started or why TikTok’s algorithm keeps pushing it, but these videos are racking up millions of views and likes, and that’s where things get concerning.

If you’re a parent, this is definitely one trend to keep an eye on. If your child is participating in it, it could mean they’re discussing inappropriate things with friends, or worse, considering engaging in them. Before we get you too stressed out, here’s a breakdown of what this trend is, how to spot it, and why it seriously needs to disappear ASAP.

Here’s how the “Yes You Can” trend on TikTok works: A user (usually between the ages of 9 and 15) posts a statement or question about something that typically isn’t done, or shouldn’t be done, and uses that as the caption for their video. A common phrasing in this trend is something like “I can’t fw a 2010” or “I can’t fw a 2013,” which basically means “I can’t f--k with someone born in 2010 or 2013.” That would make them around 12 or 15 years old.

The user then sets the video to the audio “Yes You Can (Remix)” by KayArchonn, which pushes the idea of “yes, you can.” So, if someone captions their video with “I can’t fw a 2010,” they’re essentially saying, “Actually, yeah, I can mess around with a 15-year-old.” And news flash, it’s not OK. Most girls are just hitting puberty at that age and shouldn’t be exposed to this kind of messaging.

What’s worse is that this trend isn’t targeting a specific audience, so some interpret it as encouraging older teens or even young adults to think it’s fine to hook up with a 15-year-old. And again, it’s absolutely not.

As if a 13- or 15-year-old girl telling the world on TikTok, “Yes, you can mess with me, it's totally fine," isn't bad enough, TikToker @gracefullgrit shared some of the other disturbing things teen girls are posting on TikTok to go along with the "yes you can trend." These include "Can you sneak out at 2 a.m. to meet a guy twice your age?" or "Can you send pictures with no clothes on to a boy you barely know?" — and all of them end with them mouthing "Yes you can" to the music.

What's making it worse is that @gracefullgrit noticed in the comments of many videos that girls are cheering each other on, not realizing they’re showing support for something that really should be shut down. She called it "romanticizing risky behavior" and "encouraging one another to ignore every red flag" — because sneaking out with a guy who is 30 when you’re 15 is certainly a red flag. While many teens might see this trend as harmless, @gracefullgrit suggests they scream "please groom me."

So, it would seem the "yes you can" trend on TikTok is more of a disguise to get young girls to engage in inappropriate and even dangerous acts that are being pushed out to them as forms of "empowerment,” but they aren't.