The Door Kick Challenge is a dangerous social media challenging that started in November 2021 on college campuses around the world and has quickly spread to private homes and neighborhoods. Click here to learn more about dangerous social media challenges.

What is the Door Kick Challenge?

• Participants play “Die Young” by Kesha and at one particular part of the song, they kick a closed-door two times as hard as they can
• Some users say it’s similar to the games, “knock and run” or “ding dong ditch,” that they played as children
• The challenge seems to have become popular in college dorm hallways around the world during the fall 2021 semester with the hashtags #kickdoorchallenge, #heartbeatchallenge, #knockingchallenge, #kickingdoor, or #dingdongditch
• The goal of participating is to get social media views and get a good laugh from scaring someone behind the closed door

Parent training video

Door Kick Challenge in the news

• Are you a reporter looking for a social media expert to talk about the Kick Door challenge? Contact the SmartSocial.com to interview Josh Ochs about this, and other, social media challenges 

The victim said: ‘[I was] at home recovering from open-heart surgery and this young lady kicked our door in, along with another neighbor.’ She added multiple video cameras caught the woman leaving the homes in a white car with other people inside.

WAFB9

For some homeowners, the prank could be mistaken for a home invasion… The challenge could turn deadly if the owner defended their home with violence, police said.

The Charlotte Observer

Unsuspecting people are sitting inside their homes when a stranger approaches the front door and starts kicking. One Central Florida family caught it all on camera. ‘Absolute terror. It was terrifying. I mean, I can’t even express how scary it was,’ the family said about the incident.

Fox 35 Orlando

Why should parents care?

• Students are purposely trying to scare other people, including their friends and strangers  
• We don’t know how people behind those closed doors will react in their state of fear after the hard kicks and they may react with violence or calling the  police
• Kicking the doors can create damage to personal or private property
• Many houses now have advanced video images that can help police or residents investigate and track down the kickers, even if they flee the scene

What can parents do?

• Ask your student if they have seen the  challenge on social media or have heard friends or classmates talking about it at school
• Remind students that “going viral” on social media does not equal authentic or meaningful friendships
• Explain to students that the hard kicks can damage other people’s property and by posting  videos on social media showing their participation, they are providing evidence for school or legal punishment
• With your students, brainstorm ways to effectively turn down peer pressure to participate if their friends are taking part in this challenge

More social media challenge resources for parents, students, & educators

• Learn more about social media challenges: What Are Social Media Challenges? 
• Learn about TikTok with the SmartSocial TikTok App Guide: What Parents, Educators, & Students Need to Know

Conclusion

The Door Kick or Heart Beat Challenge is spreading from college campuses to neighborhoods around the country. People behind the doors get scared and could react with violence to anyone nearby or call authorities all for the prank on social media.