How I tricked the internet into thinking I was Harry Styles...

Summary

In a masterful display of internet trickery, a prankster duped the world into believing they were Harry Styles on TikTok. The elaborate scheme involved creating a fake TikTok account, mimicking Styles' past vines, and even using a Spotify plaque to add authenticity. With clever captions and strategic posting, the impersonator sparked widespread speculation and confusion among fans, resulting in a viral sensation with over 600,000 followers, proving the power of digital deception.

Takeaways

• 😲 A fan created a fake TikTok account pretending to be Harry Styles, tricking the internet into believing it was his secret account.
• 🎉 The prank started with a video showing a Spotify plaque for one billion streams, which the creator used to add credibility to the ruse.
• 🔍 The creator chose the username 'secretsue94', playing on Harry Styles' nickname 'Sue' known within his fandom.
• 🍎 They recreated a vine-style TikTok mimicking a video Harry made in 2013, adding subtle clues like a drawn-on cross tattoo to make it seem more authentic.
• 👥 The creator developed a 'multiverse' of fake TikTok accounts for Harry's friends to lend credibility to the main account.
• 💅 The prankster went to great lengths, including dressing up as Harry and even painting their nails to match his style.
• 📸 Fake paparazzi photos were taken to show 'Harry' with a Spotify plaque and using TikTok on his phone, which helped spread the belief in the account.
• 📈 The plan involved strategic posting and manipulation of social media algorithms to gain traction and attention.
• 🌐 The fake account quickly gained followers and views, with fans and even media outlets speculating about its authenticity.
• 🎭 The prank included a change of the TikTok username to 'sumanella', adding an inside joke element to the ruse.
• 🏆 The climax of the prank was a video revealing a one billion streams plaque, which led to the account going viral and amassing over 600,000 followers.

Q & A

What was the main purpose of the video?

The main purpose of the video was to explain how the creator tricked the internet into believing they were Harry Styles and that he had a secret TikTok account.

How did the creator start the deception?

The creator started the deception by making a new TikTok account pretending to be Harry Styles, using the username 'secretsu94' and posting content that mimicked Harry's style and interests.

What was the significance of the username 'secretsu94'?

The username 'secretsu94' was chosen because 'Sue' is known to be a nickname for Harry Styles among his fandom, and the numbers could be a reference to a significant date or event.

What was the first TikTok video the creator posted as 'secretsu94'?

The first TikTok video posted was a remake of Harry Styles' 2013 fruit bowl vine, with the creator adding a cross tattoo on their hand as a clue to make it look more like Harry.

How did the creator add depth to the 'secretsu94' account?

The creator added depth by creating fake TikTok accounts for Harry Styles' closest friends, making it seem like they were interacting with each other, and by posting content that aligned with Harry's known interests and personality.

What was the role of the Spotify plaque in the deception?

The Spotify plaque, awarded for one billion streams, was used as a prop to make the deception more believable. The creator carried it around in public, creating a narrative that Harry Styles had received this recognition.

How did the creator attempt to make their appearance resemble Harry Styles?

The creator bought and wore items similar to those Harry Styles is known to wear, such as customized vans with pink laces, a coat, a pink beanie, and painted their nails like Harry's. They also wore a face mask and sunglasses to disguise their identity.

What was the reaction of the Harry Styles fan community to the deception?

The fan community was initially excited and believed the deception, with many fans trying to find out more about the supposed secret TikTok account. However, some fans were skeptical, particularly due to the cross tattoo not matching Harry's.

What was the final TikTok video posted by the creator?

The final TikTok video posted was a studio-quality video showing the Spotify plaque, with the creator dressed as Harry Styles, set to instrumental psychedelic rock music to hint at Harry's next album.

How did the creator attempt to gain more views on the final TikTok video?

The creator tried to gain more views by manually sharing the video with Harry Styles fan pages on Instagram, and by tweeting about it from a fan account, hoping that the fan community would spread the video.

What was the outcome of the deception after it went viral?

After the deception went viral, the 'secretsu94' account gained hundreds of thousands of followers, and the creator was dubbed the 'biggest catfish of all time'. The account eventually changed its name to 'sumanella' and retired after achieving its goal.