30 Dangerous online trends that captivated the world

The world has been witness to online trends such as the ALS Bucket Challenge and Gangnam Style, but some trends have proved incredibly dangerous and even fatal. Here’s what’s captured the world over the years.

The ALS Challenge, Planking, Gangnam Style, Selfies, the bottle flip challenge and more all became popular through the online world.

However, some trends are more dangerous than entertaining, with lives sadly lost through a desire of securing 15 seconds of internet fame.

News Corp has pulled together a list of 30 dangerous online trends over the years.

The team urges readers to not try these trends, and seek immediate assistance if someone does.

GRAPHIC WARNING BELOW

Chroming

A chroming cabinet installed at a Gold Coast Woolworths after chroming situations rise.

A deadly trend that has been sweeping the internet in recent years, and unfortunately, been the topic of discussion of late is the chroming challenge.

The concept surrounds inhaling or sniffing aerosol cans, particularly deodorants, with the aim of reportedly feeling a short high that comes from the inhalant abuse.

Public health experts have warned parents to be on the lookout, as it is reportedly on the rise with children and teenagers.

The trend has taken many forms over the years, with people inhaling solvents and other household chemicals for decades.

However, the introduction of social media and ‘challenges’ has spurred the dangerous trend, and led to a surge in deaths of young people.

The deadly fad has seen supermarket chains secure deodorant cans in stores across the state.

Cinnamon challenge

Something many readers may remember from last decade, the cinnamon challenge gained traction in 2012, where participants were encouraged to video themselves swallowing a teaspoon of ground cinnamon without drinking water.

While many would result in a cloud of brown dust being coughed up, in other cases, it resulted in lung scarring, pneumonia and in some occurrences, a collapsed lung.

Knife game song

Every now and again, a trend will come along that doesn’t result in the person seeking a high, but simply, wanting to prove how ‘smart’ they are.

One such trend that saw thousands partake was the knife game song of 2011.

Youtuber Rusty Cage popularised the challenge when he constructed The Knife Song to go with the trend that is speculated to be modelled after the Alien’s clip with Bishop’s trick. The willing person was to spread their fingers apart, and with a knife, they would stab in between their fingers while they sang a song.

If you reached the end of the song with your fingers still attached, you “won”.

The trend has once again made a comeback in recent years through TikTok.

Kiki Challenge/ In My Feelings Challenge

With the release of Drake’s ‘In My Feelings’, American comedian Shiggy shared a video of himself dancing to the song.

It wasn’t long before the trend became viral, with millions creating their own Kiki Challenge moment of jumping out of a moving car and dancing alongside the open door to the song.

While it may seem less dangerous than others, participants have gotten injured.

Some have been run over by vehicles, some have tripped on potholes, and others have suffered countless injuries and situations as a result of the trend, including robbies.

Authorities began issuing warnings and even fines to those caught doing the trend, with those in Egypt even jailed for up to a year for obstructing traffic.

Outlet challenge/Penny challenge

Streamlined through TikTok is the Outlet, or Penny, Challenge, which first gained popularity two years ago.

Viral videos have shown participants partially placing a USB power plug into the active socket, and dropping a coin between the prong and the outlet, resulting in a spark.

As a result, appliances, houses and facilities have been shorted out and lost power, with emergency services warning of the possible outcomes.

Despite learning at a young age to not play with power points, the social media trend has taken off around the world.

Kylie Jenner challenge

Inspired by the billionaire’s famous lips, a viral trend circulated of teenagers attempting to temporarily enlarge their lips by using a shot glass to create a suction technique.

The 2015 goal was to have plumped lips, similar to Jenner’s popular feature.

However, people soon began experiencing significant pain, swelling and bruising around their lips, with the risk of permanent damage and disfigurement.

Pokemon Go

In mid 2016, augmented reality erupted in popularity as Pokemon Go was unleashed on the world.

While fans of the popular show and card game were able to live out their dreams as Pokemon trainers, the dangers of the mobile phone app quickly became evident.

While it got people out of their homes and exercising more as they tracked Pokemons, news broke around the world of people walking into traffic, falling off cliffs, and being robbed.

While the game captured the imagination of players, it also captured the attention of their surroundings as they walked into dangerous situations.

#YOLO

A modern take on Carpe diem, translated as seize the day, #YOLO became popular among younger generations for its reminder that you only live once.

However, many took the hashtag as an opportunity to do risky activities such as taking illicit drugs and driving under the influence of alcohol and illegal substances.

The Fire Challenge

Last year, a deadly trend began circulating TikTok, in which a person would make shapes on a surface, perhaps a table or mirror, with flammable liquid, and set it alight.

The participant would watch the flames make the shape, and then it would (hopefully) burn itself out. However, many have been injured after the flammable liquid bottle has exploded or the flames have jumped onto the person’s skin.

Blackout challenge

Resurfacing after 16 years, the Blackout Challenge began circulating the internet once more in 2021, and quickly led to deaths.

The challenge, also known as the choking challenge or pass out challenge, the act encourages users to hold their breath, or choke themselves, until they pass out.

Unfortunately this trend also reportedly circulated Darling Downs schools, with parents reporting their teens had tried the dangerous trend.

Dry Scooping

Initially encouraged by a fitness influencer on TikTok, users were told if they ate a dry scoop of pre-workout powder without diluting it in water, it would maximise the effects of the amino acids, B vitamins, caffeine and creatine.

This trend led to multiple people hospitalised with trouble breathing and for one woman, heart attack symptoms.

Salt and Ice challenge

Hannah Etherington, 14, took part in the Salt and Ice Challenge. Pictured here with her mum Rebecca. Picture: Glenn Barnes

A challenge bound to do permanent damage to the skin is the infamous salt and ice challenge.

A dare, which for many was introduced before the internet, found users pouring salt onto their skin, and placing ice on top of it, creating a burning sensation.

The aim of the challenge was to see how long one could withstand the pain.

Unfortunately an act like this has resulted in permanent scarring to the skin, in a bid to gain internet views and followers.

Neknomination

This online drinking game has encouraged binge drinking around the world, and is linked to many deaths.

The challenge involves a person downing a drink, typically alcohol and in large amounts, and then nominating a friend to do the same.

The game, thought to have started in Australia, started to take on a life of its own, and something that originally started with chugging a beer, turned into drinking large cocktails in record times.

Helium huffing

A challenge that many people have done over the years that wasn’t originally a challenge in itself, but a fun activity, was inhaling helium from a balloon.

Though many find the resulting high pitched voice hilarious, there have been deaths linked to the act, particularly when inhaled from pressurised tanks.

The amount and the force of helium entering your body is greater than a balloon, which can prove deadly.

As helium is breathed into the body, it displaces oxygen. You breathe in enough helium, and the risks increase. This is a challenge doctors have warned against.

Snorting condom challenge

If you thought a Covid test was rough, this next challenge is sure to have you squirming.

In 2013, a YouTube video of a teenage girl went viral after she performed the Condom Challenge, which saw her snort a condom through the nose and pull it out through the mouth.

It quickly gained 2.2 million views, which saw many others attempting to recreate the challenge.

The video from American teenager Amber-Lynn Strong has since been removed from YouTube for violating the site’s terms of services, so the challenge lives on across the globe.

Boiling water challenge

Gaining popularity in 2018/2019, the boiling water challenge saw people through the water over their heads into icy cold wind, created by a polar vortex in the northern hemisphere at the time.

While the aim was to create a “cool” video and photo opportunity of water becoming solid, many people were hospitalised with serious burns, after the science experiment didn’t work out how they planned.

Skull-breaker challenge

A challenge born through the users of TikTok quickly resulted in warnings issued and some charged with aggravated assault in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The skull-breaker trend involved two people kicking the legs out from under a third person, making them fall over.

TikTok was quick to jump in and begin removing content that “encourages or replicates dangerous challenges that might lead to injury”.

Thumb blowing pass out challenge

Aussie parents were warned of a trend circulating TikTok earlier this year, which saw young children and teenagers seeking a brief high before passing out.

The participants would place their thumbs in their mouths and repeatedly blow through their fingers until they begin to hyperventilate, reportedly experience a ‘high’, and pass out.

The infamous trend saw thousands of teens worldwide sharing videos of their attempt online.

A Sydney teen was hospitalised after hitting his head on a table while attempting the challenge.

Unfortunately, many have died from the challenge worldwide.

Warheads challenge

Extreme sour warheads.

One that has been around since the candy was released, but not given an official name for many years is the warhead challenge.

Originally done with school mates to see who could eat the most warheads at once, has taken to the world wide web, with the challenge now encouraging people to eat 150 warheads in 10 minutes.

Anyone who has eaten a warhead knows how dangerous this can be, with the sour candy capable of burning the mouth, tongue and throat.

Benadryl challenge

A 15-year-old from America died in 2020 after partaking in the Benadryl challenge, an online trend at the time.

The task for TikTok users was to take large quantities of the medication, which is intended to relieve allergy symptoms.

When taken in excessive amounts, the medication can have dangerous side effects, which can also be fatal.

Participants who overdose on the drug can have seizures, blurred vision, end up in a coma or more.

Planking

While a useful core exercise, this trend, also known as the Lying Down Game, kicked off in the late 1990s, but gained traction in 2011, with people ‘planking’ in unique areas and sharing it online.

Though it was a seemingly innocent trend, sometimes known as the Lying Down Game, participants would take it to extreme levels, and balance their bodies in dangerous places, such as on balconies of tall buildings.

A 20-year-old Australian man died in 2011 when he fell seven stories after doing just that.

Parkour

Highlighted in movies and television shows, Parkour was an online trend in the early 2000s.

The goal of parkour was to get from point A to point B in the most creative and fluid way possible, using gymnastic skills and strength training.

Unfortunately, many participants took it to new levels, with some falling while attempting to jump across roofs, or climbing tall buildings.

While a sport for others, this trend is still active in the online world, aided by TikTok and YouTube.

Cutting for Justin Bieber

Back in 2013, a new trend surfaced online, of fans self-harming to protest Justin Bieber’s alleged drug use.

The hashtag #cutforbieber was used as a way to appeal to the singer to stop allegedly taking drugs.

Unfortunately the trend became so widespread, that fans began posting graphic photos online.

The trend resulted in many calling out the action disgusting, saying it made a mockery of a serious issue.

Skin eraser challenge

Primary school students for years have participated in this trend in boredom, before it took to online, though the dangers also begun to surface in a warning to parents.

The eraser challenge saw students erase their skin as hard as they could while reciting the alphabet or other phrases.

If you finished the phrase, you won, however you had a greater risk of infection with the skin typically burnt or bleeding.

Similar to the scratching game, which saw students scratching another’s hand while they said words corresponding with each letter of the alphabet.

Sunburn art challenge

In 2015, some people would strategically place sunscreen in an attempt to create unique patterns and what they say is art.

Unveiled in 2015, the sunburn art challenge saw people across the globe apply sunscreen to their bodies in patterns and pictures.

While failing to sunscreen the rest of the body, many people suffered significant sunburn, which would increase the risk of skin cancer and skin ageing.

Some common designs posted to social media included the Batman signal, the sun, and lotus flowers.

Car surfing challenge

A screenshot of a video showing passengers car surfing at Danbulla State Forest. Dozens of vehicle owners who illegally entered the national park and allegedly caused damage have been caught by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service. Picture: QPWS

Another trend that has unfortunately stood the test of time, thanks to the everlasting proof online, is car surfing.

In 2003, the New South Wales Government established an inquiry into the dangerous activity that could cause severe injuries and death.

Car surfing is when participants would sit or stand on top of moving cars. Sometimes, the challenge would see who could stay on the longest and land on their feet when the vehicle suddenly stops or turns.

Blue whale challenge

A truly horrific trend, the Blue Whale Challenge targeted teenagers, who were given 50 tasks over 50 days.

While the tasks may start out innocent enough, such as wake up in the middle of the night, the tasks grow more sinister as the days go on.

The game, nicknamed the Suicide Game, ends with the 50-day task demanding the user to take their own life.

Sadly, this challenge has resulted in deaths, with parents urged to intervene and assist children to break free of the trend.

Tide pod challenge

A spike in poisoning incidents during 2018 is thought to be the result of the online Tide Pod Challenge.

The punishment of washing your mouth out with soap may have started with parents, but teenagers took to the internet to dare each other to bite into these concentrated laundry detergent capsules.

The videos, created to supposedly increase popularity, were quickly removed from YouTube.

However, the trend soon became popularised through memes, which is still circulating today.

Duck tape challenge

It may be useful to fix things around the house, but this challenge has seen participants use duck tape in less conventional ways in hope of viral fame.

Typically teenagers will duck tape someone either to themselves by binding their hands, feet or mouth, or to a piece of furniture or wall.

The duck taped person must then try to get out of the bind, with the situation filmed and posted to social media.

Unfortunately this trend is quite dangerous, as people have injured themselves while trying to complete the challenge, including falling from heights and suffering serious trauma.

Milk chugging

Major of Lismore City Council Isaac Smith wins the milk drinking round of the Council challenge in 2018.

Though publicised in film and television, this trend is particularly dangerous with those with a competitive nature.

The milk chugging challenge is not new, however social media has given people a platform to share their triumphs and failures.

The challenge involves the participant drinking one gallon, or almost four litres, of milk in under one minute, and resist throwing up for an hour.

Unfortunately, though incredibly difficult to complete, the task can overload the kidneys and enlarge cells, which can cause brain damage or death.

The challenge can make participants incredibly sick, especially those who are lactose-intolerant.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

In an emergency, call triple-0.