Third-party accounts crop, slow down, or re-upload the footage to platforms with laxer censorship, such as X or Telegram channels.

The ultimate goal for many digital creators, indicating that a piece of media has crossed over from a niche audience into mainstream internet culture, often spreading cross-platform from TikTok to Telegram, WhatsApp groups, and X. The Lifecycle of Social Media Trends

Once a rumor begins, search engines and social media algorithms experience a surge in queries combining the creator's name with slang terms like tobrut and the names of sketchy hosting sites like playcrot . In many cases, these viral links are clickbait designed to drive traffic to specific websites, distribute malware, or grow suspicious Telegram channels. The Risks of Chasing Viral Links