Once, a like meant approval — quick, simple, and gone in a blink. But now? The absence of a like cuts deeper than its presence ever could. No unfollow. No cancellation. Just silence — sharp, deliberate, and cold as a side-eye from across the room.

This is the new currency of cool. Likes aren’t handed out anymore — they’re power moves. And Gen Z is playing the game with precision. One that has involved going radio silent on celebrities. There are a lot of mixed feelings on this particular trend – it's not hard to see why. Whether or not you endorse it, here's an explanation for anyone who's been scrolling the comments and feeling confused.

What's happening and why is there a sudden celebrity engagement boycott?

Welcome to TikTok’s newest power play, where likes are no longer casual signs of approval — they’re deliberate acts of control. Forget unfollows or cancellation calls; the internet’s sharpest tool is now silence. Gen Z’s grip on social capital is firm, and they’re wielding it with precision. If your content isn’t hitting, you’ll feel it. No comments. No likes. Just the stark void of indifference. And unlike a pointed critique, it’s impossible to argue with silence.

@ykme.000 uhm the really did that WHAHAHAH W#heyy #fyppp #fyppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp #jojosiwa #nah ♬ jshxwty - vontelaststand

How did it start?

It all began one day from a TikTok video. User Anita casually suggested, “Bruh imagine if we all just started ignoring celebrities. Like how hilarious would it be if they posted and got like 13 likes.” The suggestion, lighthearted but laced with potential, struck a chord. One video became a movement. The next logical step? Choosing a target. A follow-up comment suggested none other than JoJo Siwa, and with that, the plan was set into motion. What began as a joke quickly morphed into a digital rebellion. Unlike traditional call-out culture, this wasn’t about pointing fingers — it was about looking away entirely.

Scroll through JoJo Siwa’s TikTok page, and you’ll notice the shift. Her videos, once flooded with hearts and comments, are now quiet. Her likes have dwindled. The 'plan' didn’t stop with JoJo. Other celebrities and influencers' TikTok pages are starting to feel the chill as well. One of Kim Kardashian's most recent and most viewed TikTok's, a Skims collaboration, also seems to have a like count that is low compared the staggering 12 million views.

How do you know you've stumbled across a video people are refusing to like? Check the comments under a celeb’s post and you might just see it: "Stick to the plan.” It’s a reminder for those in-the-know, and its presence is as unsettling as it is effective.

What does “Stick to the plan” mean?

“Stick to the plan” has become the cryptic mantra of this TikTok movement. It’s a call to stay united, to withhold today's currency: a like. It’s not a cancellation, it’s not a critique — it’s something more sinister. The phrase is dropped like a breadcrumb in the comment sections of celebrity TikToks, a reminder to stay the course. If you’re wondering what the 'plan' is, well, congratulations — you’re already part of it. The brilliance of the 'plan' lies in its simplicity: do nothing, say nothing, like nothing.

It’s an evolution of internet culture, where doing less somehow yields more. It’s subtle. It’s sly. It’s the ultimate flex.

Image: 1