With an increasing number of young teens and kids being active on social media, they are very enthusiastic about participating in various online challenges and trends. While scrolling on TikTok, you may have come across the word mogging. Do you get the meaning of mogging refers to?
This guide is all about the mogging trends spreading on TikTok. Here, we’ll uncover its meaning in depth with examples. Also, most importantly, we’ll look at how this may impact the teens’ health and what strategies you can adopt to keep kids safe online. So, keep reading!
What does ‘mogging’ mean?
“Mogging is basically an internet slang term that comes from the English verb “mog,” which means to show dominance compared to others.”
In today’s society, you often observe people comparing others based on their appearance, wealth, lifestyle, skills, and so on. Intensive comparison with others may lead to low confidence, low self-esteem, and even stress. And that’s also now commonly spreading on social media platforms like TikTok and other online communities.
Let’s understand with examples so you may have a better idea about how people use the word “mogging” in their chatting or social media platforms.
- “That vacation photo mogged the rest of my feed. Goals 😍”
- “Outfitting new attire completely mogged other guests at the party.”
- “Check out his gaming setup. He’s mogging all the other streamers here!”
- “Working out in the gym for long hours, he prudently mogged all the men in the picture.”
So, if other people try to compare you with others, then don’t pay attention to them. It’s true that it hurts you, but you have to build your identity so strong that it wouldn’t be shaped by others’ judgment.
Just be yourself and never try to copy others under pressure. This is because everyone in the world is created with different abilities that make them unique from others. The key is to understand yourself and your qualities.
Safeguard their online interactions with parental monitoring and teachable talks.
Origin and spread of ‘Mogging’ meaning
Let’s uncover what the slang term “mogging ” comes from. This word originally derived from the acronym “AMOG” (Alpha Male Of the group) to describe the dominance of a person.
In the 2000s-2010s, people mostly used ‘AMOG’ in Pickup Artist (PUA) and Dating Forums as a way to attract women. However, in late 2010, this term gained popularity in the manosphere (a collection of communities focused on men’s issues), particularly in the fitness & bodybuilding community.
Popularity of mogging on social media
After some time, people shorten the word “AMOG” to “mog” for easier use in online slang. Later on in early 2021, this word began to gain popularity on social media as a “mogging” in the funny memes.
For instance, people on Instagram, Twitter, and iFunny share posts or memes related to bodybuilding and use the hashtags #mogging or #gym in their captions.
On TikTok, the mogging trend began in late 2021 with a video of fashion model Jordan Barrett going viral. And users began to comment and admire him as the true definition of alpha male. Since then, #mogging has gained popularity on TikTok. People post saying that they have mogged everyone else in school or work, etc.
Where & How is the ‘mogging’ slang used?
Keep in mind that mogging slang is only about comparing appearances, skills, or lifestyles with others. So, in this context, let’s move ahead and understand its most common types!
Height-mogging: refers to the phenomenon where taller people tend to feel more confident in group settings and also attract the attention of others. Some others begin to mock others in reference to a taller person, which we call heightmogging.
- POV: you’re 5’7 and your friend heightmogs you in every TikTok dance video.”
Jawmogging/Chinmogging: As the name suggests, in this context, people focus on someone’s chin/jawline in their selfies. A sharp jawline is regarded as more attractive and younger.
- “Even the filter couldn’t hide how he’s jawmogging the group.”
- Main character jawline – “he chinmogged everyone else in the frame.”
Hairmogging: Stereotype is that longer and shinier hair makes girls look more attractive and beautiful. For instance, in a group photo or video on TikTok, if anyone has longer hair, it would outshine others because of her hair.
- “Her curly hair mogged the entire For You Page 🌟.”
- “You can’t duel him, his hair will hairmog you instantly.”
Framemogging/Skullmogging: This type of mogging is all about your body’s shape, like your shoulder width, posture, and even the skull shape.
- “Group photo? Nah, he framemogged it.”
- “He entered the gym and framed everyone with those shoulders.”
Voicemogging: On TikTok, voice-mogging is a very popular trend. For instance, if one has a very soothing, beautiful voice, people would say that he/she has voicemogged others.
- “Duet ruined – she voicemogged me so hard 😭.”
- “He was just talking, but still voicemogged the singer.”
- “That deep voice jawmogged the whole comment section.”
Fashionmogging: Fashion is about dressing up and wearing accessories. Fashionmogging occurs when one person appears more stylish than others in a single frame.
- “Those sneakers fashionmogged my whole outfit.”
- “Every TikTok fit check, she’s fashionmogging.”
- “She pulled up in thrift drip and fashionmogged the designer fits.”
Gym mogging/Fitness mogging: Regarding this, people mostly share TikTok videos or memes in which one person is very fit and has an ideal chest.
- “Bro just emergency warmed up to hit my PR 💀.”
- “In the back of every TikTok gym edit, there’s somebody fitnessmogging.”
- “The dude who works out behind me in my videos just mogged me in my own video.
The impacts of the ‘mogging’ trend on youth
Kids and teens are increasingly exposed to short videos and slang, which means that behaviors or expressions like “mogging” are more likely to become commonplace references in their everyday social interactions. Although most people seek the #mogging trend just for fun, don’t forget it may hurt the feelings of others when comparing, or worse, lead to bullying. If you are a parent, it is essential to be aware of how this trend may impact your children.
- Psychological impact of online challenges: This spreading meme trend indulges youth in a comparison atmosphere. Thus, they always seek ways to emulate others. Participating in or being targeted by mogging can raise stress levels, leading to anxiety and fear of judgment. Mogging and comparison may lead to negative behaviors online, such as bullying and verbal abuse.
- Link to body image and self-esteem: The mogging trend is mostly about the comparison of appearances. Continuous mockery can lead to teens’ low self-esteem, especially in a critical phase of identity development. Besides, teens may feel pressured to meet unrealistic beauty standards, affecting self-worth.
- Harmful online communities: Furthermore, there are many harmful communities online, like the incel forum or extreme body-shaming groups, that your kids may be a part of. Here, people mostly use the mogging trend not for fun but in an aggressive way.
A survey from the Pew Research Center indicates that most 13- to 17-year-olds use social media every day, with some even being ‘always online’, which explains why new terms like ‘mogging’ can spread rapidly and influence peer interactions.
Warning signs parents should know
To check whether your kids are suffering from online trolling, look for the following signs in them.
- Notice that your kids spend most of their time using TikTok and scrolling through body comparison sites.
- You might notice that moods remain off every time, and on small things, they get too aggressive.
- Additionally, they refrain from participating in gatherings at home and avoid taking pictures or videos of themselves. That’s a big sign, as it most often occurs because of self-image issues.
- You most likely noticed that they are using the “heightmogged,” or other related terms in their casual chats, even offline.
- Plus, they always say negative things about their physique or bind them to strict exercises or diets.
How to discuss ‘mogging’ with teens and guide online behavior?
If you notice the above-mentioned warning signs in your kids, then take this matter seriously. Otherwise, due to an inferiority complex online, they may suffer from mental issues that lead to trauma or even suicidal attempts. To help you in this regard, I’m sharing some useful strategies with you that you should follow.
Build trust and foster open communication
Encourage your child to share their experiences and feelings with you, building trust through honest and open communication. This is only possible when you listen more and judge less. Spend time with your child, showing interest in their daily routines, and be aware of their mood swings.
So, if they discuss the mogging trend with you, as an apprentice, you should be supportive. Consciously nurture your child’s self-confidence in daily life – highlight their other qualities and make them know that you are proud of them.
Setting boundaries on social media usage
Work with your children to set social media usage rules. Teach them what responsible online behaviors are and what are not allowed. Encourage them to engage more in offline activities and personal hobbies. It’s a good way to have a healthy diet and lifestyle together with children to be a role model.
Encouraging critical thinking
Furthermore, you have to tell your kids not to follow the online trends without awareness. You have to tell them when they see any trend or slang words used by people. They first have to search for them and rush towards you for guidance.
Seek professional support when needed
However, if the problems get severe, like your kids aren’t taking their meals or just criticizing their bodies. Then don’t waste time thinking, you have to quickly take your kids to a Psychiatrist or any school counselor. Thus, you can bring your kids back to life.
The role of technology
Lastly, strategically utilizing parental control tools adds an extra layer of protection for children’s online safety. However, not all third-party apps are reliable. To help you in this regard, I would recommend using FlashGet Kids parental control, which is the choice trusted by many parents. It acts as a virtual assistant for parents, keeping them updated on their kids’ online activities and real-time whereabouts.
- Screen time management: FlashGet Kids allows you to monitor children’s device usage and set screen time limits on specific apps for them. Promote healthy digital habits and more offline activities.
- Browser safety and app blocking: Set blacklist of inappropriare URLs. Meanwhile, restrict access to social media apps like TikTok, Telegram, and Discord.
- Screen mirroring: Moreover, FlashGet Kids also allows you to live-monitor what your kids are scrolling through on their devices at any time you want to check.
Conclusion
In short, we can say that the meaning of ‘mogging’ on TikTok can vary, depending on how people use it and how others interpret it. Being a parent, you have to tell them that online trends come and go. They have to be self-confident about themselves and never influenced by others’ judgments. So, with this guidance and also monitoring via FlashGet Kids parental control, you would ensure a safe and healthy atmosphere for them
