No Budge Walk Challenge: What Parents & Educators Need to Know

Social media challenges get started as funny pranks or jokes to those participating or watching, but many pose harm to the participants and others around them. The No Budge Walk or No Budge Challenge is a dangerous social media challenge as it was created solely to cause chaos in school hallways. Click here to learn more about dangerous social media challenges.

What is the No Budge Walk Challenge?

• The No Budge Walk is a video internet challenge frequently found on TikTok 
• ~We know videos spread quickly on YouTube and other popular social media, so even if your student doesn’t have TikTok, they might still see it
• Participants walk through a crowd of people (such as a school hallway) in the opposite direction others are walking
• The participant purposefully walks in a straight line without avoiding others and intentionally bumps into as many people as they can
• A friend records the participant doing the walk and they post it on TikTok or other social media with popular music using #nobudge for others to find
• The goal is to get social media views and make others in the crowd mad

No Budge Challenge in the news

• Are you a reporter looking for a social media expert to talk about the No Budge Challenge? Contact SmartSocial.com to interview Josh Ochs about this, and other, social media challenges 
  

Why should parents & educators care?

• Students are purposely creating chaos in school hallways and other public spaces for the opportunity of getting social media attention
• Making others mad by bumping into them can escalate any other angry feelings and the results might quickly turn violent
• Pushing other students may hurt the initiator or other unsuspecting students or adults in the area

What can parents & educators do?

• Ask your student if they have seen the #nobudge challenge on social media or 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 creating chaos or causing violence is an offense to their community and by posting social media videos showing their participation, they are providing evidence for school or legal punishment
• With your students, brainstorm ways to effectively manage anger for situations where they are a bystander to the challenge

More resources for parents, students, & educators

• Learn about other dangerous social media challenges 
• TikTok App Guide: What Parents, educators, & Students Need to Know
  

Conclusion

The No Budge challenge has no positive benefit or contribution to a student’s online presence. The act can be dangerous to the participant and others in the area. Students should be reminded that “going viral” for a social media challenge video does not equal a positive long-term online presence they will want when it is time to apply for college or jobs in the future.