TikTokers are helping each other go viral to pay off their debts. It says a lot about us.

Is one viral video all it takes to pay off hundreds of thousands in debt? Plenty of TikTokers hope so − and thousands more are happy to help them find out.

A new trend is afoot on the app, and this one doesn't involve unconventional skincare advice or a new relationship buzzword. Instead, TikTokers are banding together to help each other go viral in the hopes of getting money from TikTok so they can pay off student loans and mortgages.

Whether or not the strategy actually translates to serious cash has yet to be seen seen. Still, that hasn't stopped people from trying.

"So, I've done the math and, apparently, in order for TikTok to pay off my student loans in one fell swoop, I would need 247 million people to watch this video for five seconds, which you've just done" a TikToker named Jake says in a video viewed 25.1 million times. He then proceeds to eat a bowl of cereal and stare out a window, saying he also needs to get his video to be at least a minute long in order to earn money for it from TikTok.

Experts say the "pay off my debt" trend reveals a lot about the financial stress Gen Z is under, as well as their willingness to both help others and unabashedly ask for help.

"The directness is refreshing," psychotherapist Stephanie Sarkis says, adding inflation, underemployment and other economic challenges remain huge stresses for people. "We tend to, as a society, be quiet about money. We tend to not talk about it as much, and I think that's changing."

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What is the 'pay off my debt' trend?

The aim of the trend, TikTokers say, is to get money from the website's Creator Rewards Program. The program is meant to reward high-quality, original videos over a minute in length, and is based on four metrics: originality, play duration, search value and audience engagement.

According to TikTok's website, in order to be eligible for this program, creators must be at least 18 and have at least 10,000 followers with at least 100,000 views in the past 30 days.

TikTok doesn't note online how much one can earn from the Creator Rewards Program, but making enough to pay off a substantial loan seems unlikely. Despite his video getting more that 25 million views, Jake revealed in a follow-up TikTok he only earned $4,200 for it, barely a dent in his six-figure student debt.

Many TikTokers, however, seem optimistic. According to another user, the trend shows the power of people in coming together to solve problems.

"Understand how grand this is for us as a community," the TikToker says, also asking for 2 million views to pay off debt. "This is why they don't want TikTok happening, because we can help each other faster than they can harm us if we all pull in together."

Sarkis says the trend spotlights how many young Americans are feeling.

"A lot of people are feeling overwhelmed," she says. "I think this does draw attention to the fact that there's a crisis with the educational system and student loans, that there are people in this huge amount of debt and it's crippling."

What does the 'pay off my debt' trend say about us?

Experts say there are a various reasons why the trend resonates.

For starters, many relate to the problem of financial stress. This empathy, combined with the illusion of finding a quick solution, are likely the biggest drivers of the trend's popularity, therapist Erik Anderson says.

"A lot of people are saddled with debt. They don't feel like they're seeing the benefit of their college degrees, and they really empathize with other people who are also saddled down with debt," he says. "I think it speaks to the fantasy of not having debt. It speaks to the fantasy of people collectively working together on their problems."

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Additionally, Sarkis says, humans tend to feel good when they help others. The pay off my debt trend, she says, offers a low-effort, low-cost way for people to feel like they've helped someone out, even if they're unlikely to actually make a big difference.

"Whenever we help somebody out, it has the potential of increasing our dopamine and serotonin, which are a part of our feel-good neurotransmitters," she says. "We also feel proactive. We feel less hopeless about things, especially if it's financial straights. We feel connection with other people. Altruism in general can even decrease the influences of depression and anxiety."

The trend has also empowered people to open up about their financial woes and feel less alone in doing so. Even if getting a hefty loan paid through video views is unlikely, the trend shows millions are willing to help give it a try.

"It's important to share what you're going through, because I think it also creates a feeling universality," Sarkis says. "You're not the only one experiencing it."

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