My Opinion
I’ve been a bit confused why I see videos with that gesture censored, I feel like that rarely happened in the media I consumed a decade ago. However, I believe this “phenomenon” is older than TikTok and its weird censorship.
I’d place giving the finger at a high 2, low 3 on offensiveness, definitely nowhere near gesticulated sexual acts. You can give a child shit for using it, but the occasional finger is something I’d expect from even a teenager.
Originally it was used as a hex to dispel demons.
Using it on a person is telling that person that you believe they are a demon that needs to be cast back into hell.
So how offensive it is honestly depends on who’s doing it.
The tatted out meth head with four teeth? Not offensive at all.
Kindly old church lady with a heart of gold and an apple pie in every pocket? 100,000 out of 5 offensive