Listicle: 10 internet trends that went horribly wrong

Laundry isn’t lunch. The Tide Pod Problem began as a joke. These laundry pods actually regarded “too scrumptious to withstand”. Then American youngsters really bit into them in 2018. The end result: Poison management hotlines have been flooded, ERs have been swamped with instances of chemical burns, seizures, and respiratory failure. Greater than 12,000 instances of publicity have been logged. Tide pivoted with opaque packaging, bittering brokers, and a PSA from NFL star Rob Gronkowski. Totally silly. American youngsters really bit into tide pods in 2018, struggling chemical burns, seizures, and respiratory failure. (SHUTTERSTOCK) The cinnamon dare has been round because the early 2010s. It causes folks to choke. (SHUTTERSTOCK) Depart cinnamon alone. Within the centuries passed by, White males would colonise and pillage for cinnamon. Now they movie themselves as they try and eat the powdered stuff by the spoonful. The issue? Cinnamon isn’t water-soluble. Saliva can’t break it down, leaving daredevils sputtering. It’s not simply teenagers. In July, an aged man filmed himself taking on the problem. Seconds later, he was coughing and choking. The dare has been round because the early 2010s. TikTok’s Blackout Problem causes seizures and stroke-like harm that may final a lifetime (SHUTTERSTOCK) Fainting isn’t enjoyable. TikTok’s Blackout Problem surfaced in 2008 and got here roaring again in 2021. It pushed youngsters to black out (we gained’t say how) —on digicam. The exercise was tied to little one deaths throughout continents. Lawsuits claimed that TikTok served the clips straight to minors. Blackouts aren’t any joke. It starves the mind of oxygen. 4 minutes in, cells start to die; by 5, loss of life is close to. Neurologists warn of seizures, reminiscence loss, and stroke-like harm that may final a lifetime. We gained’t clarify TikTok’s Dusting Problem. Nevertheless it has led to coronary heart failures and mind deaths. (SHUTTERSTOCK) Cleansing fluids will not be toys. We gained’t clarify TikTok’s Dusting Problem. Nevertheless it entails inhaling one explicit machine cleaner. A lot can go flawed so rapidly: When chemical gases displace oxygen within the lungs, it derails the mind, and leaves the center primed for collapse. In 2025, 19-year-old Renna O’Rourke of Arizona collapsed mid-stunt and was declared brain-dead days later. Survival usually comes with seizures, reminiscence gaps, and neurological scars. YouTube popularised an odd pattern in early 2020, which led to damaged skulls and concussions. (SHUTTERSTOCK) Look earlier than you leap. YouTube popularised an odd pattern in early 2020. Three pals would movie themselves lining up as if to leap collectively. Then, the one within the center jumped, and in a cut up second the others would kick (That’s all we’ll say). The autumn isn’t humorous. Skulls have cracked as our bodies slam backwards, folks have had concussions and mind bleeds. It doesn’t even appear to be enjoyable. In 2016, Texas-based model Paqui’s loss of life chip killed one particular person and landed others within the hospital. Chilli is for recipes. In 2016, Texas-based model Paqui unveiled a dare packaged like a daredevil’s memento: A single chip, dusted in California Reaper chilli powder, sealed in a coffin-shaped field. The gentle reactions included tears, gagging, shaky bravado. The worst ones required hospitalisations and one loss of life. Paqui pulled their loss of life chip. Reward be! The reckless problem involving salt and ice has led to second-degree burns and blisters. (SHUTTERSTOCK) Science is unforgiving. One problem, involving salt and ice, has been occurring for greater than a decade. It begins off with ache – and enduring it for bragging rights. However it may in a short time go unhealthy. Salt is innocent by itself. However lowers the freezing level of water. Which implies it will get chilly sufficient to trigger second-degree burns and blisters. A number of American colleges have issued warnings about it. The hearth problem will get members to all however set themselves ablaze, touchdown some within the ICU. (SHUTTERSTOCK) Hearth isn’t your good friend. One problem turned up on social feeds in 2012 and went viral by 2014. Once more, we’re withholding the small print. Nevertheless it will get challengers to all however set themselves ablaze. Clearly it not often ends nicely. And involving some on a regular basis supplies and chemical compounds makes it even worse. Consider an exercise wherein the best-case situation is a singe and the worst is ICU care. We’ll move. The Chicken Field Problem was impressed by the 2018 film. Depart stunts to the films. The Chicken Field Problem was impressed by the 2018 film and obtained members to undergo the world blindfolded. Up to now, so foolish. Folks tried to cook dinner, stroll, climb stairs blindfolded. Then, one teen in Utah tried driving blindfolded and crashed her automobile. Within the UK, a person perched on railway tracks for views. YouTube and authorities rushed to rein within the frenzy. The “Kiki, do you’re keen on me?” problem was innocent, till folks began leaping from shifting automobiles. (SHUTTERSTOCK) Nothing deliberate is an accident. Again in 2018, the In My Emotions Problem appeared innocent — only a beat, some strikes, and ideal timing. Drake’s Scorpion hit turned streets, gyms, and even lodge lobbies into impromptu dance flooring, as everybody hummed “Kiki, do you’re keen on me?” Celebrities from Will Smith to Millie Bobby Brown did their model. However when some idiots started leaping from slow-moving automobiles, it wasn’t enjoyable in any respect. In India, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Jaipur, and UP reported a string of accidents as dancers misjudged steps, or visitors. From HT Brunch, September 27, 2025 Observe us on www.instagram.com/htbrunch