Nickelodeon deletes Dora’s controversial ‘Sigma’ post after it sparks meme storm and viewer outrage
Nickelodeon posted a controversial Instagram post on May 7, 2025, via the official Dora the Explorer account. The post included Dora explaining the meaning of the word 'sigma', which means a successful and independent person. However, the post sparked severe outrage among parents and viewers who saw it as an inappropriate slang.
A 3D render version of Dora begins the video by stating she has a cool word for the adults and explains the meaning.
“‘Sigma’ is a word for someone who’s confident, independent, and does things their own way! Think of it as someone who’s a leader and a trendsetter. Let’s say your friend is doing their own thing, focusing on their goals, and not worrying about what others think. You can say, ‘You’re such a SIGMA!’” explains the animated Dora.
Many parents and viewers felt the post was confusing young children with inappropriate knowledge. The show by Nickelodeon, for years, has been a platform for learning for young kids, and the post was deemed to be unnecessary for its audience. Social media platforms were flooded with memes mocking the content and the reaction that followed.
An X user, @SReaperDraws, shared a meme that showed Dora pretending that no such post of her explaining the word 'sigma' was shared by Nickelodeon.
Another X user was surprised to see that the post was made by the official page, as they believed it was AI-generated.
"That was real?! This whole time, I thought it was AI-generated slop," said an X user.
Another X user expressed their support for the decision by Nickelodeon to remove the post. They believe content needs to be contextualized and made more audience-appropriate.
"It’s a reminder that context matters, especially when blending internet culture with content for kids. Some terms carry meanings that go far beyond their meme value," said an X user.
An X user was glad the video was taken down and expressed the same in her tweet.
"Thank God, cringe as hell," tweeted the user.
Another X user was confused as to why the post would get backlash from the audience.
"How is the vid getting backlash? I'm mad confused," said the X user.
The post has since been removed from the social media account. The account had previously shared a similar version of the character, explaining the meaning of the word "slay" to adults as an effort to interact with mature audiences.
Everything to know about Nickelodeon's Dora
Dora the Explorer is an animated interactive children's series created by Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh Valdes, and Eric Weiner, and produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio. It is known for its fourth wall-breaking narrative to connect with the viewers.
The series received a reboot in 2024, and the title was changed to simply Dora. It was created by Chris Gifford and Valerie Walsh Valdes for Paramount+ and premiered on April 12, 2024.
The show made its linear television premiere on Nickelodeon on August 5, 2024. It follows the adventures of Dora and her monkey friend, Boots, as they go on epic adventures in a rainforest. Accompanied by Dora's Map, Dora and her friends must work as a team to overcome obstacles, including being challenged by Swiper, a fox who steals or attempts to steal key items that help them on their adventures.
The voice actors for the series include Diana Zermeño, who voices the eight-year-old protagonist, Dora Márquez. The antagonist fox, Swiper, is voiced by Marc Weiner, who reprises his role from the previous series. Anairis Quiñones as Map, Asher Colton Spence as Boots, and Katarina Sky as Backpack are some of the other notable voice actors.
The audience in the United States of America can watch Nickelodeon-produced content by subscribing to streaming options that offer the live channel. This includes Hulu, YouTube TV, Philo, Vidgo, and Paramount+, which also offers Nickelodeon's content on demand. A few of its content is also available on Prime Video, such as SpongeBob SquarePants, PAW Patrol, and Dora the Explorer.
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