When Hoaxes Make the Headlines: The Spread of ‘National Rape Day’ on TikTok

Published: 21 January 2025

Authors: Paula-Charlotte Matlach, Allison Castillo, Leonie Oehmig & Nathan Doctor

In April 2024, TikTok users mobilised once again around a hoax known as ‘National Rape Day’. The hoax, which has now spread across at least four countries and three languages, claims that rape would be legal for one day only (24 April). It first caused turmoil in both the US and UK in 2021 and trended in France at the same time. Following a flare-up in both English and French in 2023, the hoax reached German-language TikTok in April 2024.

ISD analysts found that after a government official of the State of Berlin issued a warning about the day to schools, German blogs and media outlets, ranging from far-right to right-wing populist and conservative, played a key role in spreading the already debunked hoax. Some right-wing blogs and far-right actors exploited misleading reports on the trend to wrongly blame migrant men. Moreover, by perpetuating the ‘stranger danger’ myth, this narrative continues to divert attention from the major causes and perpetrators of sexual violence. TikTok’s response to the hoax has brought to light significant shortcomings in the company’s content moderation strategy. Search results for this trend did not trigger any labels or warning messages about the spread of the hoax, nor were debunking posts promoted to mitigate the hoax’s impact.

This briefing highlights the dysfunctional relationship between online and offline spaces, which contributes to the amplification of harmful narratives and their spread across both spheres. Implementing comprehensive and context-sensitive keyword detection mechanisms could lead to a more balanced and supportive strategy for monitoring and removing harmful content while providing necessary support to survivors, activists and experts. These approaches would also contribute to preserving online spaces where crucial conversations on sexual education and violence can take place.

This briefing is part of a series examining online gender-based violence (OGBV) on TikTok in English, German, French and Hungarian. It is part of the project Monitoring Online Gender Based Violence Around the European Parliament Election 2024, funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.