What it means if you’re in ‘group 7’ as social media trend leaves people feeling left out

With another day comes another brand new social media trend that no-one understands - this time, it's 'group 7'.

Now, we've only just wrapped our heads around what '6-7' is and what it means after kids began shouting it out randomly at school, to the confusion of their teachers.

To save you the hassle - it basically means nothing - although it originated from a song, it's just a brain rot phrase that children find hilarious because there's nothing behind it, if that makes sense.

Gen Alpha have left us all a bit muddled with their non-stop memes, viral phrases and sayings, but I guess that's what happens when you grow up in today's very chronically online world.

And now, a new trend is doing the rounds on social media, and it's all about a fictional 'group 7' - and this time it's been labelled a 'Millennial meme'.

You may have noticed videos popping up on your TikTok 'For You Page' talking about the mysterious and exclusive group - but what exactly is it?

Where did 'group 7' come from?

Well, there's actually two ways the trend originated - one over on TikTok and one on Instagram.

On 17 October, singer Sophia James kicked the whole thing off when she conducted an online experiment to try and work out the TikTok algorithm.

She posted her new song seven times, with each video slightly different, in order to work out which one got the most reach.

The musician then bundled her followers into groups, those who saw the first video first were 'group 1', those who saw the second video first were 'group 2', and so on - you get the point.

In post number four, she wrote: "If you are seeing this you are in group 4. I am posting a bunch of videos and seeing which ones reach the most viewers. This is the fourth post of the batch, so you are group 4."

Then, of course, she created the now-viral group 7 by posting her seventh video with the same song.

She told her followers: "I have posted 7 videos tonight - and this is the seventh one - just as a little science experiment to see what kind of video gets the most reach out of the 7. And I don't know what that says about you. But, you're in Group 7, welcome!"

Why did 'group 7' go viral?

For no apparent reason, it immediately became an internet meme and inside joke, as people began to theorise why they may have been 'selected' for group 7.

Many began joking about it on the internet until it spread and more and more users saw the video, with one writing: "I hearby declare group 7 is the most elite group."

Another said: "I’m in group 7 don’t talk to me I’m chosen."

As we say, not to make it even more confusing, but there's also another version going around on Instagram with a similar concept but by a different creator.

Influencer and author Ian Boggs conducted a similar experiment to build up hype for his upcoming fantasy book - and again, for some reason, group 7 went viral.

He said in his video: "If you're seeing this video, congratulations, you're in group 7, otherwise known as the Eclipse Division.

"I've posted six other videos all at the exact time as this one all with their own little groups and subgroups from the new fantasy/dystopian book I'm writing - and group 7, you are special."

So there you go! By the time you've read this, I'm sure the internet will have churned out its next viral saying.