Source: Shae O.
TikTok's viral duet and stitch features built a permission structure for imitation. Users don't feel anxious about copying because the platform actively facilitates and celebrates it. This inverts traditional consumer anxiety about authenticity: Gen Z builds identity through sanctioned remix rather than hiding influence or pretense. The shift is concrete—participation in a trend now outweighs differentiation from it. Brands still selling individuality to audiences optimizing for belonging within a bounded cultural moment are misaligned.