A Guide to Kids’ Culture for Out-of-Touch Adults: What Is Group 7?
It’s the so-called horror season, and there’s nothing scarier than realizing how out of touch you are. So allow me to throw you a lifeline by explaining the most popular topics among young people this week. This week, everyone’s discussing their membership in a completely random online group, planning Halloween costumes that few over 30 would understand, and trying on “historically accurate” clothing from 2005.
What is “Group 7” on TikTok?
This week, TikTok users are all about “Group 7.” Here’s what’s going on: On October 17, 26-year-old singer Sofia James conducted a little social experiment to promote her new single “So Unfair.” She posted seven videos of the song to see which one would get the most views. The seventh went viral, garnering over 75 million views. And then it took on a life of its own: in total, over 600,000 videos have been posted under the “Group 7” tag .
In the original “Group 7” video, James says, “I don’t know what that says about you. But you’re in Group 7.” People began explaining what being in “Group 7” meant to them —even if it was a random choice—and listing the qualities its members supposedly possess. According to the video , “Group 7” members love each other: “We laugh, we share, we watch videos from beginning to end.”
While many TikTokers view their membership in “Group 7” as a joke, a growing (and rather sad) number of “Group 7” participants believe it’s important. That they’ve been chosen. The desire for a sense of belonging is palpable. There’s also a belief that if everyone in the group follows each other, it will mean they’ll “never be able to find a real job.”
But that won’t happen. “Subscription chains” are nothing new on the internet, and they don’t work. In fact, the algorithm will eventually decide that people are tired of their feeds overflowing with Group 7 videos and will limit their distribution. In a few weeks, everyone will be saying, “Remember that weird thing with ‘Group 7’?” It’s the inevitable life cycle of internet memes.
HBO Max Adds ‘Six Seven’ Category
Speaking of random number-based memes, the slang word of the year, ” 6-7 ,” continues to grow and spread in unexpected ways, including on streaming platform HBO Max , which has added a “Six Seven” movie category to its service.
The phrase doesn’t mean anything, making it difficult to define a “6-7” movie, so Max decided to take a simpler approach by including films with the numbers “six” or “seven” in the title. The selection includes the expected, like The Sixth Sense , Se7en , and the sixth and seventh Harry Potter films (unfortunately, Six Days, Seven Nights isn’t available on HBO Max, and you’ve probably forgotten it even exists). Beyond the easy options, there are also some inspiring ones, like Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai and Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal . Like all “hey guys” attempts at borrowing teen slang, HBO’s stunt is annoying and out of place, and perhaps it’s a signal that this whole six-seven thing is finally ending, but I like the idea of some dim-witted kid watching The Seventh Seal and really getting into the soldier versus Death chess game.
Meme-Inspired Costumes to Look Out For This Halloween
Even before the internet, Halloween was a meme-driven holiday, and pop culture costumes topped the sales charts at Spencer’s Gifts every year. But in 2025, that’s simply ridiculous. Every other child ringing your doorbell this year will be dressed in an outfit inspired by a popular internet trend, and ghosts and Draculas will be as rare as encounters with the Loch Ness Monster.
Here are some meme-based costumes that are likely to be popular this Halloween:
Labubu
Dressing up as one of these trendy toys is not difficult, but it does require a fair amount of effort. Luckily, the internet is full of tutorials like the one mentioned above.
The Lorax Girl
If you’re wondering why so many young women are dressing up as the lead characters from the 2012 film The Lorax , it’s quite a story . The costume has become so popular in recent years that it’s caused a well-founded backlash.
K-Pop Demon Hunters
The vibrant costumes from Netflix’s wildly successful animated film are perfect for Halloween, but will likely leave older folks asking, “Who are you supposed to be?”
Chicken Jockey
Like the game that inspired it, “The Minecraft Movie” remains wildly popular among young people, so on October 31st, costumes depicting the famous “Chicken Rider!” scene will be available. If you want to get it right, you’ll have to make them yourself, but if you want to save time, you can buy a Minecraft Chicken Rider costume at Walmart .
Inflatable protest frog
The Portland ice protests have spawned an underground, viral hero: the Protest Frog, so look out for imitators wearing this iconic Halloween costume. It’s a great choice for those on a lazy budget, as it allows you to make a statement without the hassle. The inflatable frog costume is available for purchase on Amazon .
Viral Video of the Week: “Low-Rise Jeans Try-On”
Warning: This week’s viral video will probably make you feel like an old man. In it, a young TikTok user, @vintageprincessxoxo , tries on “historically accurate low-rise jeans.” She’s clearly surprised by how low the jeans actually are, but as many older people in the comments pointed out, the “historically accurate” jeans she’s trying on aren’t even that low. “Honey, what a high waist and two buttons,” one user notes. The comments section is full of similar generational educational material: millennial mentors teach a young girl about whale tails and the importance of wearing a belt. (“Historically accurate,” really? Wow.)