—Marcus Davis, B1Daily

Every year, the internet dusts off its crystal ball and predicts who—or what—will earn the dreaded “Karen” label next. In 2025, the speculation is louder, sassier, and somehow still missing the point. Because while memes can be funny, real-life harassment—especially toward Black people—never is.

This year’s top predictions range from the “Algorithm Karen” (the person who weaponizes reporting tools because a Black creator dared to exist loudly online) to the “Neighborhood Watch Karen 2.0” (now armed with a Ring camera, zero context, and an overactive call button). There’s also buzz around the “Corporate Karen”, who confuses “company policy” with personal bias and always seems to enforce rules selectively.

But let’s be clear: the joke stops where harm begins. Labeling behavior is one thing; excusing harassment is another. Too often, Black people are policed for joy, volume, style, presence—basic humanity—by folks who frame their discomfort as “concern.” In 2025, that excuse is expired.

Playful speculation can stay playful if it punches up, not down. That means calling out entitlement, not normalizing intimidation. It means recognizing that public spaces, workplaces, and online platforms are not stages for racialized gatekeeping. And it definitely means retiring the idea that calling the cops, reporting accounts, or confronting strangers is entertainment.

So laugh at the memes if you must—but let 2025 be the year we also agree on a hard rule: no one gets to harass Black people for existing. Not in the name of “order.” Not for content. Not ever.

—Marcus Davis, B1Daily