Among Us was released by Innersloth in 2018 and surged in popularity in 2020 as streamers and friend groups played it online. In the game, the emergency meeting button on the Skeld map lets any living crewmate force a meeting, report suspicions and trigger a vote, even without finding a body. Clips of chaotic meetings spread on YouTube and TikTok, and the button alarm became shorthand outside the game for calling out suspicious behaviour, pausing an argument and putting someone on trial in front of the group.