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When the ice bucket challenge first gained attention in the 2010s, millions of social media users across Instagram and YouTube actively filmed themselves dumping ice water over their heads. Celebrities and even politicians had fun getting drenched in ice and tagging friends to take up the challenge. However, it was not just about braving the stinging sensation of ice. The challenge was channeled into creating awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a rare disease that affects the nervous system.
Fast forward to 2025, the ice bucket challenge is back and rapidly gaining momentum on TikTok. While the renewed trend mirrors the mission of its origin, it features a few tweaks that have drawn positive and negative reactions from Netizens.
What Is The Revived Ice Bucket Challenge All About?
After making its way back to the social media space, the challenge racked up millions of views across several platforms. So far, several content creators have gotten their colleagues to take up the challenge, and this will not stop soon. It all started on Monday, March 31, when students at the University of South Carolina began raising awareness and funds for mental health causes.
The trend, named the #SPEAKYourMIND ice bucket challenge, urges partakers to donate to Active Minds, a nonprofit dedicated to youth’s mental health. Since it started, the nonprofit has gathered hundreds of thousands of dollars. The viral trend also made an impressive mark by being the fifth most popular hashtag on TikTok after about three weeks. Participants and content creators follow three steps for the ice bucket challenge:
- Fill a bucket with ice water.
- Film yourself dumping the liquid over your head.
- Tag three other people to take up the challenge and post the video.
Thousands of TikTokers have racked up millions of views while tagging others to keep the trend flowing. LA media personality James Charles heartily took part in the challenge and tagged fellow star Haley Baylee in a video with over four million views. The pro makeup artist did not hide his excitement as he gushed over the ice bucket challenge relaunch. He beamed:
Apparently, the ice bucket challenge is a thing again. I cannot believe we are back in 2014.
Baylee wasted no time acknowledging the trend as she posted a video similar to Charles. More celebrities, including Jenna Bush Hager, Matt Bomer, and former NFL star Peyton Manning, also joined the trend.
The Original Ice Bucket Challenge
Social media users first learned about the trend in 2014 when golfer Chris Jefferson drenched himself in ice to support a relative with ALS. However, it blew up after Peter Frates, a Boston College baseball player living with ALS, participated in the ice bucket challenge.
At the time, several A-listers jumped on the trend, sharing videos of themselves. Stars like Taylor Swift, LeBron James, Oprah Winfrey, Donald Trump, and Bill Gates all joined in the fun. According to the ALS Association, the challenge helped raise $115 million for ALS research.
How People Are Reacting To The New Trend
Many received the return of the social media challenge with mixed feelings due to the new mission attached to it. Some social media users felt the new awareness would take attention away from ALS. “Seeing this USC ice bucker challenge become so popular when it was literally for ALS to raise awareness because nobody knows what ALS is,” a TikTok user posted.
However, others defended the new trend, noting that both awarenesses deserved recognition. The ALS Association also lent its voice, noting that mental health awareness was important for everyone, including people affected by ALS.
