Featured Image Credit: HBO
Topics: Internet Culture, Lifestyle, Social Media
Syeda Khaula Saad
One thing about me: I love to be a hater. Not much else in this world gives me the adrenaline rush and pure joy of hating on someone. My threshold for irritation is extremely low and instead of trying to cover it up, I just embrace that — which is why when the internet banded together to coin the term “ick,” I felt truly seen.
So… what does “icks” mean? For those of you who have just woken up from a 20-year coma or are just millennials, an “ick” is basically some small, seemingly-insignificant trait or habit someone has that just personally bothers you to the point where you no longer are interested in them romantically or — if that’s not the case — just turns you off to that person as a whole. And even though internet “icks” blew up just in the past few years, they’ve been around for quite some time. Even an old Sex and the City episode was called “The Ick Factor” and our favorite girlies were talking about stuff men did that just, well, icked them out.
I think every person has their own icks. And what you find to be an ick might not be someone else’s icks. But if you’re still having trouble figuring out what your icks are or need some inspiration, here is a roundup of the biggest internet icks. If you feel called out, that’s on you!
1. Setting up the camera to cry and then posting about it.
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2. People who comment “first.”
3. When someone does a video in their parked car but they have their seat belt on.
4. When they’re dubbing over the sound and their mouth doesn’t line up with the words.
5. People eating in a video.
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6. Calling things “icks.” (lol, I know)
7. Posting too much about your boyfriend.
8. When people add you to close friends and you are not close enough to see that much of them.
9. Starting a video with commenting on how bad/crazy you look right now.
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10. Sex bot DMs.
11. “Everyone has been asking…”
12. Notes app apology.
13. When people comment “you’re welcome” or “photo cred” on a photo they took.
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14. Millennial pause.
16. “Guys, I just wrote the song of the summer.”
17. People who make you go to “Part 2” when there was plenty of time for it in “Part 1.”
18. People calling themselves Carrie Bradshaw on TikTok, like, pls.
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19. People who set up a tripod at Target to film themselves walking in/out or shopping.
20. Sharing your feed post to stories and saying “new post!”
21. When people share post-breakup posts BUT DON’T SPILL THE TEA. Like okay you’re single AND? Don’t leave us hanging.
22. Super mushy anniversary posts i.e. “She’s my rock! Love ya babe!”
23. People who post their kids for content.
24. When ppl who you went to high school or college with and haven’t spoken to in 20 years reach out to tell you about their new business or life coaching package.
25. Reposting the Sunday Scaries “close laptop shut til Monday” meme. (And yes, I do that.)