What are 777 filters on TikTok?

Nefarious content slips through the cracks on social media every now and then, but the 777 filters on TikTok take the extreme to a whole new NSFW level. 

In Dec. 2022 TikTok became, as user Noah Glen Carter puts it, “the hub” (I’m pretty confident you don’t need me to tell you what “the hub” means). Users were suddenly able to publish extreme NSFW content so long as it was sandwiched between the platform’s slideshow effect. Somehow, TikTok’s algorithm didn’t recognize the issue and the NSFW content ran rampant on the platform for the entirety of Dec. 22, 2022, thus earning the ordeal the title, the “Dec. 22 Incident.” 

In May 2023 it happened all over again, except this time the NSFW content was finagled onto the platform in a slightly more creative and devious manner. Later that year, it happened again. Because these foul filters crop up like dandelions on TikTok, here’s all you need to know about them. Proceed at your own risk.

What are 777 filters?

On the surface, the 777 filters seem harmless. Here you have a fun, engaging filter that lets you answer a specific question by tilting your head to the left or right to choose the picture associated with your answer. However, behind the innocuous picture is explicit imagery. When you tilt your head, the innocent photo is replaced with an NSFW one, leaving you shocked and probably a little scarred. 

A majority of the 777 filters tend to be of anime characters, but as pointed out by Noah Glen Carter in the video above, during the May 2023 incident several filters relating to Princess Peach, Hello Kitty, Mr. Clean, and more found their way onto the platform.

Although the viral hype surrounding 777 filters relatively died down after May, TikTok users still find themselves dodging bullets with every swipe; foul filters containing uncensored, inappropriate, and forbidden content continue to run rampant, with more instances having occurred as recently as August 2023.

There’s no question the rouge filters on the platform are the result of cunning shrewdness. Offenders have become crafty. Some filters, as explained in the video above, contain names as innocent as “Lennon” which at first glance would hardly strike anyone as offensive. However, when you use the filter and touch the screen, what pops up is anything but innocent.

Why have the 777 filters been banned on TikTok?

Every time TikTok became privy to the issue, it took steps to remedy it. Following the May 2023 incident, many accounts using the 777 filters were banned and the NSFW content was eradicated. Without question, the whole ordeal was the result of the infamous Dec. 22 debacle — TikTok users have been taught that the platform’s algorithm is susceptible to misuse.

According to TikTok community guidelines, “nudity, pornography, or sexually explicit” is absolutely prohibited. However, since the platform sees over 1 billion active users each month (yes, billion), 777 filters continue to slip through the cracks. Clearly, TikTok has an issue embedded somewhere in its algorithm.

The social media giant consistently takes steps to remedy these issues as they arise, but reactionary tactics such as these seem counterintuitive to simply fixing whatever problem exists in the algorithm. You can have that bit of advice for free TikTok.