By India McCarty
Experts caution parents about the “Yes You Can” TikTok trend that encourages young girls to engage in dangerous behavior.
“The ‘Yes You Can’ trend is sophisticated digital grooming disguised as girl empowerment,” Noelani Sagapolutele, LCSW, founder of Waʻa Collective and school social worker with the Hawai’i State Department of Education, told Parents. “It uses affirming ‘yes you can’ language to normalize dangerous behaviors like sneaking out at 2 a.m. to meet older males, getting into strangers’ cars, sending inappropriate photos, and dismissing parental guidance.”
The trend involves users — typically young girls — using a viral audio clip with the lyrics “yes you can.” Users then add their own text about risky things they can do, including dating a much older man, sneaking out of the house or sending inappropriate photos.
“Any time there is a campaign aimed at glamorizing risky behaviors that confuses [a young person’s] gut instinct in a truth-or-dare…fashion, we should be concerned,” Diane Lampkins, LSW, child abuse prevention coordinator at The Center for Family Safety and Healing at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, explained.
She continued, “Young people may have difficulty assessing the danger or risk of a challenge, especially if they see a friend posting, or reposting, similar content.”
TikToker Jill (@gracefullgrit) also weighed in, telling her followers in a video, “This ‘yes you can trend’ isn’t just cringe, it’s dangerous. This isn’t empowerment. This is not cute.”
“If you have a daughter on #TikTok right now, stop scrolling and listen.”
TikTok user gracefullgrit posted this warning to parents about a worrying new trend that she calls “grooming disguised as girl power.”
Here’s how parents and #teens are reacting: https://t.co/R1lBGiOWL3 pic.twitter.com/hAIdlzOLyM
— SheKnows (@SheKnows) June 7, 2025
These videos don’t just encourage dangerous behavior. They also serve as spaces for predators to find victims.
Related: What Parents Need to Know About TikTok Trend Inspired by R-Rated SALTBURN
“Many of those strangers aren’t just scrolling — they’re actively seeking out content featuring young girls,” Anamara Ritt-Olson, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Health, Society, & Behavior at UC Irvine’s Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, said. “Some leave inappropriate comments or save the videos to share elsewhere. Even when kids think they’re just having fun, their posts can attract dangerous attention from adults with harmful intentions, turning a seemingly innocent trend into a serious safety risk.”
Sagapolutele added, “This aligns perfectly with documented grooming patterns where predators give children the illusion of control while manipulating them toward exploitation. It’s ‘reverse psychology’ grooming at scale.”
Luna, an app designed to help young girls’ physical and mental wellbeing, shared tips with parents on how to talk to your teen about this trend.
“Try starting with a simple, non-judgemental question,” they counseled, like, “‘Hey, have you seen any of the videos using the “Yes You Can” sound on TikTok? What do you think of them?’ This approach opens a door for conversation without making them feel accused or scrutinised.”
Luna also recommended keeping communication open, encouraging digital literacy, and the importance of focusing on values, instead of just rules.
“Explain why certain boundaries exist, rather than just enforcing them,” they wrote.
The “Yes You Can” trend is very dangerous. Parents need to be aware and ready to discuss it with their teens.
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