“Group 7” has become the latest TikTok <\/a>in-joke, a clique of “elite members” sorted by the algorithm.<\/p>\n The trend started as a casual experiment from singer Sophia James (@sophiajamesmusic<\/a>) to see which of her videos the algorithm decided to share with her audience. It quickly turned into a new way for folks to signal that they\u2019re in the know on the latest viral trend.<\/p>\n James originally launched the project to promote her new single, “So Unfair.” She uploaded seven near-identical clips, labeling each one as a different “group.” Each video featured something different, from the musician <\/a>dancing, singing, or chatting about daily life, including opening a parking ticket she received in the mail.<\/p>\n In her final post<\/a> of the batch, James looked into the camera and said, “If you are watching this video, you are in group 7. I have posted seven videos tonight, and this is the seventh one. Just a little science experiment to see what kind of video gets the most reach.” She added, “I don\u2019t know what that says about you, but you\u2019re in group 7!”<\/p>\n Within days, the Group 7 video racked up more than 32.5 million views and over 4.2 million likes.<\/p>\n Commenters instantly declared allegiance to Group 7, with many calling it the “elite” group. One person joked, “I heard group 7 has really great skin\u2026” Another wrote, “I think we are all in group 7 \ud83d\udc40” Someone else joked, “first time in a cult, kinda nervous.”<\/p>\n Because the premise was so simple, it spread fast. Folks stitched the video to announce their own membership, while others updated bios to display “Group 7” proudly. Others used their “status” as part of Group 7 to promote positivity and manifest good fortune for themselves and others.<\/p>\n “Is this really what we’re doing?” TikToker Dave (@shmoore34<\/a>) asked in his video about Group 7. “Is this going to open up avenues for a lot of people? People who have been wanting to be on this app and to make videos, but maybe we’re a little hesitant. All we needed was someone to tell us that we’re part of a group, and we just find the courage to post videos, and we just all interact?” He added that he was “here for it” and so happy to be a part of Group 7 and the supportive community he suddenly found himself in.<\/p>\n Celebrities and brands wasted no time joining the trend<\/a>. Major accounts such as Hyundai USA also joined in on the fun, chiming in with, “group 7 is superior \ud83d\ude42\u200d\u2195” and Michaels Stores commented, “IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS VIDEO ON MY FYP.”<\/p>\n Sophia James followed up with another video soon after, visibly thrilled by the wave of engagement. In a later TikTok<\/a>, she wrote, “Group 7 is taking it,” adding in her caption, “The sense of camaraderie is unmatched.”<\/p>\n The internet is chaotic\u2014but we\u2019ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot\u2019s newsletter <\/strong>here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\nWhat is Group 7, and how did it start?<\/h2>\n
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From experiment to community: Celebrities and brands join in on Group 7<\/h2>\n
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