Buzz
Some photos and videos are uploaded to the Internet and quickly go viral. The rapid sharing of these media clips turns them into worldwide phenomena, sparking new trends. Many people feel compelled to join in and keep up with the popular crowd.
While some of these trends encourage positive actions, others are known to result in serious harm and reckless behavior. The following Internet trends have caused severe injuries, permanent scars, and even deaths. These are the ones you should avoid to prevent facing the same grim outcomes.
10. Momo
Momo is a chilling Internet trend connected to the suicides of two teenagers and one child. This disturbing challenge-based game has spread across South America, Asia, Mexico, France, Germany, and the United States. Participants are urged to contact a number on WhatsApp, reaching 'Momo,' and the eerie, wide-eyed character responds with new challenges. These challenges include self-harm, watching disturbing horror films, and waking up at odd hours. Players are threatened with the release of their personal information if they fail to complete the tasks. The final challenge is to take one's own life.
In August 2018, an 18-year-old boy was discovered hanging in a shed near his home in Kurseong, India. The walls of the shed were covered with graffiti associated with the game. It was also reported that in Barbosa, Colombia, in September 2018, a 16-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl both took their lives, and investigators found game-related activity on their phones. Authorities are still working diligently to identify the person behind Momo.
9. Blue Whale Challenge
In 2016, the Blue Whale Challenge became a viral phenomenon on social media with tragic outcomes. The disturbing game begins when players follow a social media account that assigns tasks over a 50-day period. These tasks include self-harm and ultimately lead to the encouragement of suicide. According to InfoSec Awareness Online, the game has been linked to 130 deaths in Russia.
In early 2018, the bodies of two half-sisters, 12-year-old Maria Vinogradova and 15-year-old Anastasia Svetozarova, were found in the snow outside their apartment in Izhevsk, Russia. It was believed they had jumped from the ten-story rooftop, and their suicides were connected to the Blue Whale Challenge. Before her death, the younger sister posted a photo of her boyfriend on social media with the caption: 'Forgive me, please. I love you so much. I know you will find somebody better than me.'
8. Planking
Planking became a viral sensation where participants took photos of themselves lying face down with their arms at their sides to resemble a wooden board. Within weeks, it gained massive popularity, with the more unconventional the location, the better. The trend even saw news anchors planking on their desks. While initially meant as harmless fun, the competition to outdo one another pushed individuals to attempt the stunt in dangerous locations.
7. Extreme Selfies
Almost everyone with a mobile device has taken countless selfies, sometimes discarding the ones that don't meet their standards. However, some individuals took their selfies to extreme levels, paying the ultimate price. A study found that between March 2014 and September 2016, 127 “selfie deaths” were recorded globally. The study, titled “Me, Myself and My Killfile: Characterizing and Preventing Selfie Deaths,” revealed that India had the highest number of fatal selfie incidents.
A teenager in Mumbai tragically lost her life when she became too absorbed in taking a selfie and failed to notice a massive wave crashing toward her, pulling her into the sea. In response, Indian authorities have introduced safety measures at dangerous selfie spots. The deputy commissioner of police stated, 'We station [police protection] at selfie hotspots when the tide is high. When the weather turns rough, we ask people to refrain from taking selfies near the sea. Our staff is well-informed to prevent risky stunts.'
6. Slender Man
Slender Man originated as a creepypasta meme, but quickly grew into a widespread sensation, ultimately resulting in an attempted murder. This terrifying, faceless figure is said to stalk and abduct children. As the myth spread online, it sparked fear, fueled by creepy stories and disturbing images circulating the internet.
In 2014, two 12-year-old girls, Morgan Geyser (left) and Anissa Weier (right), lured their friend into the woods in Waukesha, Wisconsin, where they viciously stabbed her 19 times. Miraculously, the victim, also 12, was able to crawl to a roadside and seek help. She survived her life-threatening injuries and made a full recovery. Afterward, Geyser and Weier embarked on a journey on foot to find Slender Man, traveling to a forest 500 kilometers (300 miles) away.
Both Geyser and Weier were committed to mental institutions, and psychologists found that Weier exhibited 'a reduced ability to distinguish reality from fantasy.' She claimed she believed that if she had not carried out the stabbing, Slender Man would harm her and her family. Both girls were declared 'not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect' and will remain institutionalized.
5. Punch 4 Punch
In 2014, 23-year-old Tommy Main tragically died after participating in a dangerous game called Punch 4 Punch. The game, reminiscent of Fight Club, involved two players taking turns striking each other until one called for a stop. The blows were intended to land on the arm or shoulder, but some participants took hits to more vulnerable areas like the face and stomach. To add insult to injury, players sometimes tied one arm behind their back. The loser was often forced to drink alcohol as a penalty. The first videos of this trend date back to 2009, though such violent games existed long before the internet.
A doctor explained, “This is like Fight Club online—it’s tapping into primal notions of masculinity, testing one’s strength. It’s a gladiatorial competition, where transitioning from childhood to adulthood prompts a need to test your strength, your courage, and your potency by competing with others.”
4. Lip Challenge
One of the most bizarre social media crazes in recent years was the Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge. Influenced by the reality TV star’s plump lips, her followers tried to replicate the look by sucking on shot glasses, bottles, and jars to create a suction effect that caused blood to pool in the lips, giving them a fuller appearance. Unfortunately, this often resulted in serious injuries, with some victims left with permanent scarring. Photos of those hurt by the challenge circulated online, with some showing lips that had turned black from the damage.
Doctors have warned that the suction method can cause micro-trauma to blood vessels, leading to scarring, hematomas (clotting), or fibrosis (thickening of tissue), all of which can result in permanent disfigurement. One medical professional cautioned, “Attempting to enlarge your lips by suction is hazardous. It’s essentially a traumatic injury when you’re applying suction to any part of your body.”
3. Subway Surfing
Subway surfing, a perilous trend that first gained popularity in the 1980s, made a comeback, though some may have reconsidered it in favor of a longer life. In recent years, New York City has seen an uptick in joyriders attempting the stunt. These daredevils cling to moving subway trains, either by hanging from the back of the car or climbing onto the rooftop.
In 2016, Christopher Serrano, 25, from the Bronx, tragically lost his life while attempting subway surfing. The incident occurred early in the morning as he tried to climb on top of an F train in Brooklyn. Serrano, traveling with a female friend, went between two moving cars before attempting to scale the train. Investigators believe he may have been struck by something as the train moved, causing him to fall. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His death serves as a somber reminder that subway surfing is a deadly stunt.
2. Tombstoning
Tombstoning, the risky act of diving into water from great heights with the body held in a rigid, vertical position, has been linked to numerous injuries and fatalities. In recent years, young people have filmed each other leaping off cliffs at Dead Man’s Cove in Devon, England. One fatal incident involved a 39-year-old man who plunged to his death from a 20-meter (65 ft) drop. Other incidents included a teenager who broke his neck in three places and a 25-year-old who became paralyzed after jumping from the same spot.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has issued a warning: “Jumping from piers, cliffs, rocks, or other structures into the sea can be extremely hazardous. The water’s depth can vary significantly with the tide, and what was a deep pool at midday may turn into a shallow puddle by the evening. The shock of cold water may hinder your ability to swim to safety, and powerful currents can quickly pull people away.”
1. NekNominate
NekNominate, a dangerous internet trend that began in 2014, led to several tragic deaths. The game involves individuals being nominated to drink large amounts of alcohol, with the act filmed and shared online for others to watch. Players often compete to outdo each other’s drinking stunts. Among the fatalities linked to the game was 20-year-old athlete Bradley Eames, who filmed himself consuming two pints of gin and died four days later. Similarly, 20-year-old Issac Richardson passed away after drinking a cocktail of wine, whisky, vodka, and beer as part of a NekNominate dare.
The UK's Office for National Statistics has issued a warning, stating, "In the future, we may see a significant rise in these deaths due to activities such as NekNominate. Additionally, we are witnessing an increase in liver disease deaths, particularly among younger individuals, indicating that young people may be starting to drink earlier and are consuming stronger alcohol." This warning was issued after reports showed that accidental alcohol poisoning in England and Wales surged by 200% from 2004 to 2014.
