If you’ve been on TikTok or YouTube lately, you’ve probably seen dumpling squishies. They are small, squishy toys that look like colorful dumplings and often come in surprising designs. They’ve become really popular, especially with kids and teens. (I have 2!) People like them because they’re fun to squish and because you never know which one you’ll get.
But recently, some dumpling squishies were found to contain hazardous chemicals and didn’t meet safety standards. Because social media helped make these toys so popular, it raises the question of how much responsibility social media companies should have when a trend turns out to be harmful. In my opinion, social media companies should help stop unsafe products from spreading, but they should not ban entire trends because of a few dangerous items.
Social media influences what people buy, watch, and do. A trend can spread in just a few days. Most trends are harmless and fun, but sometimes they can cause problems. Like much of Gen Alpha, I fell victim to the Labubu craze in early July 2025. I bought more and more, and now, I don’t even play with them anymore. A friend at school who collects squishies told me that kids like them because they’re fun to collect, trade, and show to their friends. This suggest that most children enjoy the trend itself, not any unsafe products connected to it.
The dumpling squishy trend is another good example. The toys themselves aren’t the issue. The issue is that some companies are making and selling unsafe versions.