The Auschwitz Memorial has spoken out against a new social media trend that sees TikTok users cosplaying as Holocaust victims.
Several videos have started popping up on the app showing people wearing makeup, tattered or striped clothes and name tags, in outfits resembling those forcibly worn by the prisoners who lost their lives during the Holocaust.
The Polish memorial has issued a statement asking people to stop doing this because it's inappropriate and hurtful.
Writing on Twitter, The Auschwitz Memorial said: "The 'victims' trend on TikTok can be hurtful and offensive. Some videos are dangerously close or already beyond the border of trivialisation of history.
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"But we should discuss this not to shame and attack young people whose motivations seem very diverse. It's an educational challenge."
One of the people who has taken part in the 'Holocaust Challenge', who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that the basis of the trend was to inform people of what happened at concentration camps. The 17-year-old told Insider that it 'was important to share these stories'.
The teen has since deleted her video.
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While some think they are paying tribute to those who died as a result of the atrocity, which killed more than six million Jewish people and around 11 million people, The Auschwitz Memorial believes the 'trend' is insincere.
In its statement, the Memorial says there are 'ethical challenges' and 'psychological dangers' that come with roleplaying. The organisation says it's crucial that people aren't put into a victim's perspective to understand what happened during that time.
"Some [of the videos] were not created to commemorate anyone, but to become part of an online trend. This is very painful," the Memorial's statement said.
While encouraging people to stop cosplaying as Holocaust victims, the Memorial is also calling on TikTok to crack down on videos that show signs of or exhibit over instances of antisemitism.
Featured Image Credit: PA