What do an anonymous British street artist and your flaky Tinder date have in common? Quite a lot—at least according to TikTok, which has once again taken something mildly annoying and turned it into internet gold.

The latest viral trend making the rounds is called “Banksying”. No, it doesn’t involve spray cans or a balaclava. Instead, the term refers to the quiet but intentional drift people perform when they slowly exit a relationship without formally ending it—think of it as ghosting, but stretched out and subtle.

According to TikTok creators and a well-shared Bustle article, Banksying is defined more accurately as a gradual emotional withdrawal, often leading up to a breakup. Unlike classic ghosting—which is usually sudden and final—Banskying is marked by a tapering off: slower replies, vague plans, and less warmth until the relationship is left hanging without closure. It’s the social fade-out with a Banksy twist.

The name? Fitting. Banksy is the master of disappearing acts—elusive, wordless, and always just out of reach. And apparently, so are many modern daters.

Who Is Banksy?

Banksy is one of the few people on the planet to attain global cultural icon status without ever showing his face. Said to hail from Bristol, the anonymous British street artist is known for his politically savvy, socially critical, and wonderfully accessible works of art—they simply appear overnight in public spaces. 

Some of his most famous pieces include Girl With Balloon, Love is in the Air—the masked protester throwing the bouquet—and Love is in the Bin, which is a fully self-shredding version of Girl With Balloon. That shredding work was sold for £18.6 million in 2021.

Banksy’s art is powerful, yes. But it’s his disappearing act that fuels his mystique. There’s no artist statement. No media interviews. No brand collaborations. Just silence—and speculation.

There is little self-revelation in his authentic Instagram account that boasts 13.2 million followers as of July 2025. It’s all about the work. And the vanishing act.

Why the Fandom Stays Loyal

Banksy’s appeal spans generations and politics. Gen Z sees him as an enigmatic outsider. Millennials appreciate the anti-establishment messages. Older fans admire the courage of someone who critiques capitalism from outside the spotlight.

He has no public persona, yet he inspires passionate debates. He says nothing, yet his works spark global conversations. His refusal to be owned, seen, or categorised has become a model for artistic integrity—and, unintentionally, for how some people now manage relationships.

It’s not that surprising that TikTok, the birthplace of ironic self-awareness, would latch onto this archetype.

What Does It Mean to “Banksy” Someone?

Unlike ghosting, which typically involves a person cutting off contact without warning, Banksying refers to the act of slowly but deliberately disengaging. You’re not blocked or unfollowed. You’re just being given less. Less enthusiasm. Less time. Less of everything.

It’s like you’re still “in” the relationship—or at least the shell of it—but emotionally, the other person is already gone. The real kicker? They probably don’t tell you they want to break up. They just fade out.

One TikToker described it as “being broken up with by someone who still sends you memes,” while another likened it to “being slowly written out of a show you didn’t know was ending.” The analogy caught on.

Where the Trend Came From

Banksying, as a term, began popping up in early 2024. By mid-2025, videos under the hashtag #banksying had crossed 8 million views.

TikTok creators began using the term to talk about emotional disengagement in modern dating. The word captured something that was happening a lot but hadn’t yet been named—a drip-feed breakup strategy masquerading as connection.

Accounts like @thejoelyg and @itslaurenroses posted relatable scenarios, from fading compliments to cancelled plans that never got rescheduled. Comments poured in. “This happened to me.” “It has a name??” “I thought I was going crazy.”

The term brought clarity—and humour—to a murky dating experience.

Why Banksy, Though?

The name isn’t random. It reflects how the experience feels.

Banksy creates art, leaves no explanation, and disappears. People who Banksy you in a relationship do something similar. They only spare you partial attention, perhaps an ounce of affection, but when the moment for presence and/or commitment comes, they take the easy way out. 

And of course, unlike an artist, they do not leave behind any thought-provoking work. Just unanswered texts.

A Slow Fade, Not a Vanish

To be clear: Banksying isn’t about a sudden cancellation or no-show (though that might be part of it eventually). It’s about emotional withdrawal. You’ll notice shorter replies. Excuses instead of effort. Ambiguity instead of affection. It’s not always cruel, but it is confusing.

If ghosting is a slammed door, Banksying is a door that quietly closes over several weeks. You’re not sure when it happened, only that it has.

And TikTok has turned that awkward ambiguity into comedy gold.

What the Data Says

While no verified The March 2024 YouGov survey confirms that 41% of UK adults aged 18–34 have ghosted someone; prior YouGov data from 2018 suggested that around 11% of UK adults admitted to doing it. Anecdotal evidence suggests the number has risen.

As for humour’s power on TikTok, Business of Apps confirms that comedy remains one of the platform’s most popular and consistently high-performing categories, although the specific claim of “63% higher engagement” is unverified.

In other words, funny takes on dating discomforts are algorithm-friendly. And Banksying fits the bill.

It’s Funny—Until It Isn’t

What makes Banksying resonate isn’t just the recognition—it’s the balance between frustration and humour. People don’t just feel hurt when it happens. They feel confused. And that confusion becomes content.

One TikToker said, “He told me he really liked me and then slowly stopped texting. I was Banksy’d before it was a trend.”

Others laugh about it, posting memes like “Me checking if I’ve been ghosted or if he’s just Banksying me.” It’s modern dating wrapped in irony and Wi-Fi.

The Language of the Internet

Part of why terms like Banksying catch on is because they give people a shared language for ambiguous emotional experiences. Instead of saying, “I think he’s losing interest, but I can’t prove it,” you can just say, “He’s Banksying me.”

It’s not about making light of the experience—it’s about making it legible.

Final Thought

Banksy never explained his art. And Banksying? It’s what happens when someone never explains the breakup.

Whether it’s the street artist or your situation, the disappearing act is part of the performance.

You may not get closure. But you will get a trending term—and probably a TikTok.