One Finger Selfie Challenge

2016photo faddead

Published September 19, 2026

The One Finger Selfie Challenge is a 2016 photo fad in which participants took nude mirror selfies while hiding their private parts behind one finger positioned near the lens. It grew from a 2015 Japanese tweet into an anime illustration that revived the pose a year later, becoming one of the strangest viral dares of late 2016.

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Overview

The trick asks the participant to strip in front of a mirror and place one finger close to the camera so that, in the reflection, that single digit covers both the chest and groin at once1. Pulling it off takes careful angling because the finger has to sit near enough to the lens to appear large enough to block both areas, while the body stays farther back in the mirror2.

Many people who tried it did so fully or partially clothed, using the middle finger as a joke variation or photographing their finger up close so it filled the entire frame3. Others drew the pose rather than shooting it. Teen Vogue flagged the fad as a body-shaming risk because commenters could grade whether a participant's chest or midsection actually fit behind one finger2.

Origin & Background

Platform
Twitter (Japan) / Pixiv (anime revival)
Date
2016

The pose was first shared on April 11, 2015, when Japanese Twitter user @okataiko posted a woman's nude mirror selfie with her body hidden behind a single finger4. The tweet racked up more than 4,000 retweets and favorites in its first 12 hours before being taken down, and Chinese Weibo users mirrored it widely6.

More than a year later, on August 16, 2016, Malaysian Chinese artist Sky-FreeDom drew an illustration of the Love Live! Sunshine!! character Chika Takami performing the same pose, uploaded to Pixiv and Twitter6. The anime version brought the pose back into circulation and set up the wider imitation wave that followed.

How It Spread

How to Use This Meme

To attempt the One Finger Selfie Challenge, participants typically stand nude in front of a mirror and hold one finger close to the camera lens so the finger and its reflection align to cover both the chest and groin in a single shot1. Common joke variations include using the middle finger while fully clothed, or shooting the finger so close that it fills the entire frame3.

Frequently Asked Questions