American teens who call themselves “raiders” are reportedly taking part in so-called ‘Scientology Runs’, seemingly chasing viral attention and big social media numbers.
The Church of Scientology was established in 1954 by American author L. Ron Hubbard. It characterizes itself as ‘religion in its highest meaning’, claiming its mission is to guide followers ‘to total freedom and truth’.
The often-secretive organization, led by church head David Miscavige, is known for attracting high-profile Hollywood members. Among the biggest names linked to the church are Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Elizabeth Moss, and Erika Christensen.
Other people publicly associated with Scientology include voice actress Nancy Cartwright (who is also Sabrina Carpenter’s aunt), Ant-Man actor Michael Peña, and Katie Holmes, who departed the church following her divorce from Cruise in 2012.
Even if the religion rarely comes up in everyday life, TikTok users scrolling long enough may stumble across a strange new stunt: young people sprinting straight into Scientology centers.
While the clips aren’t everywhere, the ones that do circulate tend to follow the same pattern.
Creators burst through the doors at full speed, dodging security and front-desk staff as they push farther into the building.
The goal appears to be recording the “deepest” run—making it as far as possible before they’re stopped and thrown out.
Online, the stunt is typically referred to simply as a ‘Scientology Run’, and it’s being treated by some participants as a fast track to high engagement, with certain “raiders” pulling huge view counts.
One creator, for instance, using the handle @swhileyy, reportedly drew four million views on one Scientology-run upload.
So why do it? For many, the obvious reward is social media status and momentum.
A 55-second clip that was re-shared to X has reportedly reached close to 18 million views, prompting thousands of reactions.
One user who appeared less-than-impressed by the Scientology Run wrote: “Ok, now try the Vatican or the the Kaaba, let me know how that works out for you. Either way your trespassing on someone else’s private property.. and that’s not cool, regardless of beliefs.”
Another said: “Is this a thing people do? Are there more videos? Where do I join up?”
“When you make it to the top floor of the Scientology building and you see a healthbar pop up with Tom Cruise’s name on it,” joked a third user.
Someone else commented: “I’ll never understand why they put themselves in danger by trying to stop them, like just let them run around and call security or the cops if its such a big deal but dont endanger your life because you never know what could happen.”
Separately, experts issued a serious warning last month about a different social media-driven behavior.
Researchers from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust urged people not to rely on platforms like Google, YouTube, and Facebook for guidance around mental health and neurodivergence.
Dr Alice Carter, from UEA, said: “When we looked closely at TikTok content, studies reported that 52 percent of ADHD-related videos and 41 percent of autism videos analyzed were inaccurate.
“By contrast, YouTube averaged 22 percent misinformation while Facebook averaged just under 15 percent.”
Dr Eleanor Chatburn from UEA’s Norwich Medical School also warned that while social media can be helpful, it may leave young users convinced they have a condition despite not receiving a professional assessment or diagnosis.
In a statement, TikTok said it actively removes ‘harmful health misinformation’ and provides ‘access to reliable information from the WHO, so that our community can express themselves about what matters to them and find support’.