Buzz
Anyone who has ventured into the far corners of the Internet will tell you that it’s a strange and curious space. From obscure fetishes to entire websites operated by bots, there’s no shortage of oddities to explore. Yet, these areas are typically niche, with few people taking much notice of them.
The true oddity arises when an unusual, outlandish idea gains traction and draws in more than just a handful of followers. These trends stand out not because they are strange—after all, the Internet is full of bizarre things—but because they manage to capture the attention of everyday people and convince them to join in.
10. ‘Naked Butts in Front of Beautiful Scenery’ Photography
People generally don't want to see a picture of a naked butt online unless that's exactly what they're searching for, and posting one would likely get you banned from most social media platforms. However, things change entirely when you add a stunning landscape in the background, as the latest viral trend demonstrates.
Striking the perfect balance between art and absurdity, Instagram users have started photographing their bare butts in stunning, exotic locations. Before anyone could even ask, 'Why on earth are you doing that?' the trend had exploded in popularity. Now, many include this act as part of their travel plans.
You can still find these pictures on an Instagram account called Cheeky Exploits. While it may be linked to body positivity, it’s not immediately obvious from the images or captions. More likely, people are simply participating because others are doing it too.
9. The Hot Water Challenge
If it isn't already clear from basic common sense, pouring boiling water on yourself for no reason other than to test your limits is an incredibly dangerous idea. While it might seem like an innocent mistake, it actually causes more fatalities than you'd expect. In the US alone, roughly 100 people die each year from burns caused by hot water.
When some people on the Internet decided it would be a brilliant idea to make the hot water challenge go viral, it understandably sparked major concerns. Soon, everyone was either pouring hot water on themselves or others, or drinking it through a straw, and sharing the results across YouTube and Instagram.
As you’d anticipate, many participants suffered severe burns. Health professionals around the world urgently warned against joining this risky trend.
The most tragic incident occurred when an eight-year-old girl lost her life after being dared to drink hot water through a straw, inspired by videos of the challenge on YouTube. Thankfully, due to the severe injuries caused by this dangerous stunt, the trend began to fade, and the online community seemed to learn its lesson. But wait... it didn’t . . .
8. The Salt and Ice Challenge
For a species that views burning to death as one of its greatest fears, it’s ironic how inventive we are at finding ways to burn ourselves for entertainment. The salt and ice challenge is yet another example of this.
As you might expect, the challenge involves applying salt and ice to a part of your body. Although it seems to have faded out for now, videos of people trying it can be traced back to 2012. Recently, however, it gained major popularity, prompting parents and health experts to issue warnings.
Though salt and ice may not appear hazardous at first glance, when combined, they trigger a dangerous chemical reaction that can cause severe burns and injuries. The result is similar to frostbite.
7. Furry Nails
Although we couldn’t pinpoint the exact user who started it all, the online fashion craze of fur-covered nails has spread like wildfire since it first caught on.
In essence, the challenge involves carefully attaching fur strands to your nails. Even if we overlook the ethical concerns—and the proponents insist it’s all faux fur—the undeniable fact remains that it neither looks good nor qualifies as fashionable, which is why this trend leaves us perplexed.
There could be some genuine benefits to this, like extra insulation in the winter, although we’d thought gloves did the job perfectly fine. While it may not be as trendy now as it was a year ago, the real question remains: why was it ever popular in the first place?
We might consider this one to be less hazardous than the others on this list, at least when it comes to physical injuries. However, the mental harm of seeing something so visually unpleasant is another matter entirely.
6. Condom Snorting
We’re all familiar with the primary purposes of a condom—to prevent STDs and unwanted pregnancies. But the Internet has long argued that those aren’t the only uses for them.
From DIY furniture repair kits to condom blow-up challenges on YouTube, we’ve seen it all—harmless as long as no one gets hurt. However, the latest condom trend to gain attention on the Internet definitely crossed a line.
This trend involves snorting a condom up through your nostrils until it emerges from your mouth. We shouldn’t have to explain why this is a terrible idea—condoms are designed to withstand extreme conditions without breaking or dissolving. Beyond the choking hazard, this can lead to bacterial infections or rashes in the nasal passages. But that didn’t stop it from going viral on YouTube.
Thankfully, this bizarre challenge has mostly faded, and teenagers are (hopefully) back to using condoms for their intended purpose.
5. Parent Shaming
Arguing with your parents used to be a normal part of growing up. However, with the rise of the Internet, things have changed. “Parent shaming” is the growing trend of airing your parental grievances online—whether it’s about your parents refusing to buy you the newest gaming console or embarrassing you in front of friends. Just about anything is fair game.
If you’re feeling sorry for the parents on the receiving end of this, don’t. There’s also a countertrend—child shaming. On social media, there are over 30,000 clips of parents disciplining their children, with punishments ranging from grounding to burning their Christmas presents.
4. Funeral Selfies
If you’ve spent any time on the Internet, you’ve likely come across some of the eerie and bizarre ways people have used corpses throughout history. One particularly disturbing practice was Victorian-era corpse photography, where people would pose with their deceased loved ones for a photo.
If you thought this was a relic of the past, think again. Modern-day Internet users have resurrected the practice and turned it into a bizarre trend.
For some, this may even be part of the grieving process. However, based on the photos we’ve seen, it’s hard to see how mourning is involved. Instead, it’s a disturbing fusion of today’s obsession with taking selfies everywhere and the long-standing custom of being photographed with the dead.
3. Pimple Popping
As many of us were told growing up, popping a pimple on your own is almost always a bad idea. Doctors and dermatologists are trained to handle it if it becomes necessary, but most pimples are temporary and will go away on their own. They’re just part of our body’s natural defense against infections, which usually don’t require our interference. Plus, let’s face it, pimple popping is just plain gross.
This is why the viral online trend of people popping pimples and extracting botflies from their bodies is so captivating. We can’t quite figure out what’s driving this craze, but at this moment, countless people are searching for videos of others engaging in it.
Some claim the act is incredibly satisfying to watch, which might make sense, given that some people have peculiar tastes. However, why so many others are joining in is something that still baffles us.
2. Fire Challenge
For some, pouring hot water on themselves or inducing frostbite with salt and ice didn’t quite suffice when it came to causing burns. So, they upped the ante by setting themselves on fire.
We particularly enjoy Wikipedia’s straightforward and dry explanation: “Fire challenge is an activity which refers to the application of flammable liquids to one’s body and then setting the liquids aflame, while being video recorded.”
Though we can't fathom the reasoning behind any of the trends listed here, this particular one is especially baffling as it involves actually setting yourself on fire for a few fleeting Internet likes. That’s, of course, assuming your video goes viral. Otherwise, you've just gone through all that pain for no reason at all.
Reports have surfaced of people—especially young ones—being hospitalized due to severe burns after attempting this challenge. Yet, that hasn’t stopped others from jumping on the bandwagon of this viral trend.
1. 100 Layers
With the rise of Instagram beauty influencers and YouTube vloggers constantly experimenting with new ways to enhance their looks, beauty trends have become hard to pinpoint. Are we supposed to be shaving our eyebrows now? Are bangs making a comeback? Is it possible to create DIY lipsticks using kitchen ingredients?
The answers to these questions vary wildly depending on who you ask and when. Some individuals became so frustrated with the broadness of the term 'beauty' that they created an entirely new trend as a protest against it. This trend involves applying 100 layers of something to your body and filming the process for the world to see.
The substance can be anything—from 100 layers of tape, makeup, or even clothes—as long as it’s exactly 100 layers, and you post it online for all to witness. While we can’t confirm if it’s still a hot trend, the simple fact that it gained traction is still something we’re trying to wrap our heads around.
