15 of the Internet’s Darkest Ever Trends

You can find all kinds of things on the internet, and that’s sort of the point. A place where the entire knowledge and history of the world is located, although you should always verify your sources. What you can also find are darker, sadder stories of people doing the strangest things for attention. Sometimes to deadly results.

For every wholesome meme or heartwarming reunion video, there’s a dark corner where bad ideas fester and spread like wildfire. We’ve gathered here just some of the internet’s most regrettable moments. Have you taken part in any of them?

The Tide Pod Challenge

This incredibly dangerous trend peaked in early 2018. The challenge involved eating laundry detergent packets, which many noted looked disturbingly like candy. In 2017, poison control centers reported over 200 cases involving teens, with half being intentional.

Phrogging

Phrogging is the disturbing practice of secretly living in someone’s home without their knowledge. People who do this might be driven by homelessness, financial desperation, or more sinister criminal intentions. It’s the ultimate invasion of privacy.

The Blackout Challenge

An extremely dangerous trend that gained traction on TikTok in 2021, this was essentially a modern version of the ‘choking game’. The goal was to deprive the brain of oxygen until losing consciousness, and it has been linked to several fatalities.

The Devious Licks Trend

In 2021, this TikTok trend encouraged students to steal or vandalize school property, usually from bathrooms, and post videos of their ‘licks’. The wave of destruction led to arrests and police warnings in multiple countries.

The Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge

Inspired by speculation over a celebrity’s appearance, people used shot glasses to create suction and swell their lips. Doctors warned of bruising, pain, and permanent damage. Kylie Jenner later confirmed she used temporary filler injections, not a glass.

The Neknominate Drinking Game

Originating in New Zealand in early 2014, this viral game involved chugging a pint of alcohol and nominating someone else to do it. The game escalated to dangerous stunts and has been linked to at least five deaths.

The Cinnamon Challenge

Participants of this trend tried to swallow a spoonful of cinnamon without water, which is nearly impossible. The powder can cause choking and lung inflammation, and in 2012, it led to 178 calls to poison control centers.

Swatting

This is a cruel and criminal form of harassment. A person makes a fake emergency call to police, sending a heavily armed response team to an unsuspecting victim’s house, which can have tragic consequences.

The Blue Whale Challenge

This disturbing phenomenon, first appearing in Russia around 2013, was rumored to be a 50-day game of escalating tasks. The final task was supposedly self-harm, but thankfully, no major incidents have ever been officially confirmed to be linked to it.

Pro-Ana and Pro-Mia Communities

These online spaces are dedicated to the promotion of dangerous and life-threatening eating disorders. They disguise these conditions as lifestyle choices, creating a harmful environment that encourages self-destructive behavior instead of offering help and support for those struggling.

The Fire Challenge

As terrifying as it sounds, this challenge involved people applying flammable liquid to their skin and setting it on fire for a video. The first known instance was in 2012, and it gained horrifying mainstream attention two years later.

The Slenderman Mythos

Slender Man began as a fictional character on a forum in 2009. The online horror story bled into reality in 2014 when a moral panic erupted after a near-fatal stabbing was carried out by two girls who claimed to be doing it for the character.

The Salt and Ice Challenge

This challenge involved putting salt and ice on the skin. The chemical reaction creates an intense cold that can cause second and third-degree burns similar to frostbite, but participants often don’t feel the damage until it’s too late.

The Penny Outlet Challenge

Another dangerous TikTok trend, this involved sliding a penny behind a partially plugged-in phone charger. This action can short-circuit the outlet, creating sparks and a very real risk of an electrical fire in homes and schools.

The NyQuil Chicken Challenge

A bizarre and risky trend that involved cooking chicken in cold medicine. The FDA issued a warning that boiling the medication concentrates it, and eating the chicken could lead to a dangerously high and unmeasured dose of the drug.