TikTok star Vexbolts found himself at the center of a bizarre internet phenomenon in late December 2024. A mass unfollowing campaign, intended to decimate his follower count, backfired spectacularly, catapulting him from relative obscurity (around 1 million followers) to a staggering 7.4 million in a matter of days. But the story doesn’t end there. This is a tale of internet irony, unexpected virality, and the unpredictable nature of online fame.
The Rise and Fall (and Rise?) of Vexbolts’ Followers
Here’s a timeline of how this whole saga unfolded:
- Around Dec 23rd: Vexbolts sits comfortably at around 1 million followers, blissfully unaware of the impending chaos.
- Dec 25th: The campaign ignites, urging users to follow Vexbolts en masse, only to unfollow him on December 31st. His follower count doubles to 2 million. A video posted by TikTok user @unemployedcrashout is considered a possible catalyst for the trend.
- Dec 27th-29th: The copypasta “vexbolts mass unfollowing dec 31st, spread the word” goes viral, fueled by videos from users like @wsnowwyz and @dlive1. Vexbolts’ follower count explodes, passing 3 million, then 6 million.
- Dec 30th: Vexbolts hits peak virality, reaching a jaw-dropping 7.4 million followers. He posts videos acknowledging the campaign, even jokingly encouraging it while promoting his creator code. He also reaches out to streaming star Kai Cenat for support, further amplifying the story.
- Dec 31st: The designated “unfollowing day” arrives. The actual impact remains somewhat shrouded in mystery. Did his followers plummet as planned? Early data suggests a potential decrease, but the sheer influx of new followers may have masked the effect.
Decoding the #VexboltsMassUnfollowing
Why this sudden urge to follow and then abandon Vexbolts? The internet, as always, offers a multitude of theories:
Theory 1: Content Critique
Some users cited Vexbolts’ content as the reason for the campaign, calling it “cringe” and accusing him of overusing trending sounds and themes. This raises questions about what constitutes “good” content on TikTok and the ever-shifting sands of online taste.
Theory 2: The Great Internet Prank
Another theory suggests the entire campaign was a massive, coordinated prank. The internet loves a good spectacle, and orchestrating a mass unfollowing could be seen as a form of digital performance art.
Theory 3: Unintentional Promotion
Ironically, many videos promoting the unfollowing campaign actually used Vexbolts’ sounds, inadvertently boosting his visibility. This begs the question: was this whole thing a cleverly disguised marketing ploy? Some speculate that the campaign, even with its critical undertones, ultimately benefited Vexbolts.
Vexbolts: Master of the Meme?
Vexbolts’ response to the campaign is a study in internet savvy. Instead of ignoring or fighting the trend, he embraced it. He made videos joking about the impending mass unfollowing, further fueling the fire and turning the situation into a meme. By leaning into the chaos, he arguably gained more followers and solidified his place in the TikTok ecosystem.
The Fallout: What Happens Next?
The long-term impact of the #VexboltsMassUnfollowing remains to be seen. Will his follower count stabilize? Will this become a new form of online trolling? Or is it simply a fleeting moment of internet weirdness? Only time will tell. One thing is for sure: Vexbolts’ story is a fascinating case study in the unpredictable world of online fame, where a campaign designed for destruction can inadvertently lead to explosive growth.
