The world of fine art isn’t just about brushstrokes and brilliance; it’s also a stage for drama, protest, and sometimes outright destruction. In this roundup of 10 great works of art that have been assaulted by vandals, we’ll travel from London’s National Gallery to a Sotheby’s auction house, meeting suffragettes, drunken visitors, and even a mischievous street‑artist who turned an auction into a performance. Each piece tells a tale of damage and, more importantly, of painstaking restoration.

10 Great Works of Art Vandalized

In the spring of 1914, the Rokeby Venus fell victim to a dramatic protest when suffragette Mary Richardson brandished a meat cleaver inside the National Gallery in London, carving at least five deep gashes into the canvas. Her motive was two‑fold: to draw attention to the imprisonment of Emmeline Pankhurst and to condemn the way male visitors ogled the nude figure.

Richardson later explained that the attack was not merely a political stunt but also a rebuke of the voyeuristic gaze that lingered on the painting’s sensuous back view. She argued that men stared at the work with an objectifying stare, turning the piece into a spectacle of male desire.

The painting’s most striking feature—the woman’s curvaceous posterior, described by some as possessing an uncanny three‑dimensional quality—has historically invited the viewer’s eye to linger, amplifying the sense of being watched. The mirrored composition, in which the subject looks back at us, adds a layer of uncomfortable self‑awareness for onlookers.

After the assault, expert conservators set to work, and today only the faintest trace of the cleaver’s wounds remains, a testament to both the painting’s resilience and the skill of modern restoration.

9 The Fall Of The Damned

Peter Paul Rubens’ colossal canvas The Fall Of The Damned, completed in 1620, captures the chaotic descent of rebel angels from heaven into the infernal abyss, a scene brimming with muscular figures and dramatic chiaroscuro. Measuring nearly three metres tall, the painting overwhelms viewers with its sheer scale and the raw emotion of its tormented subjects.

In 1959, a disgruntled individual drenched the work in acid, claiming the corrosive liquid “relieves one from the work of destruction,” a twisted rationale akin to saying a gun eases the act of shooting. The acid ate through layers of pigment, leaving irreversible scars on the masterpiece.

Restorers have painstakingly consulted Rubens’ original sketches to guide their efforts, yet the corrosive damage proved permanent in several sections, forever altering the visual narrative of the piece.

8 Mona Lisa

Leonardo da Vinci’s enigmatic portrait has weathered more than its share of assaults. In 1956, the painting suffered two separate attacks: a splash of acid and a thrown rock, both of which left only superficial marks thanks to the protective glass that had already been installed.

More recently, a Russian woman denied French citizenship hurled an empty cup at the canvas. The Louvre’s bullet‑proof glass effortlessly deflected the projectile, sparing the world’s most valuable painting from any real harm.

7 Ivan The Terrible And His Son

Ilya Repin’s haunting tableau Ivan The Terrible And His Son portrays the infamous tsar cradling his mortally wounded heir, a scene that has long sparked controversy in Russia. In May 2018, a heavily intoxicated visitor seized a metal barrier pole and barreled through the protective glass, rending the canvas with a violent swipe.

Fortunately, the pole missed the central figures, tearing only a peripheral portion of the work. The attacker later confessed that a binge of vodka left him overwhelmed and compelled to act.

This was not the first assault on Repin’s masterpiece; in 1913, the artist himself repaired a slashing inflicted by an earlier vandal, a testament to the painting’s turbulent history.

Restoration experts now face the daunting task of mending the 2018 damage, a process expected to span several years before the canvas can be fully displayed again.

6 La Berceuse

Just days before he famously sliced off his own ear, Vincent van Gogh began work on La Berceuse, a tender depiction of a woman in a rocking chair, gently holding a rope that would lull an unseen child. Van Gogh’s obsessive devotion to the piece continued even after his hospitalization, during which he reportedly sang lullabies to the imagined infant.

The painting exists in five versions, yet one of these was brutally slashed three times by a self‑styled “artist” while on loan to Amsterdam’s Municipal Museum. The motives behind the attack remain a mystery.

Van Gogh’s own oeuvre has not been immune to vandalism; in 1978, a visitor at the Van Gogh Museum carved a massive “X” across his famed Self‑Portrait with Grey Felt Hat. Though the damage is still visible from certain angles, careful restoration has mitigated the worst of it.

The perpetrator behind the 1960s slashing was deemed mentally unstable and subsequently confined to a psychiatric institution.

5 Argenteuil Basin With A Single Sailboat

In 2012, a visitor named Andrew Shannon stormed the National Gallery of Ireland and delivered a powerful fist‑punch to Claude Monet’s serene Argenteuil Basin With A Single Sailboat. The 1874 masterpiece, valued at roughly $10 million, suffered a deep gouge that left the canvas visibly scarred.

Shannon later claimed his violent act was a form of retaliation against the state, though his exact reasoning remained vague. The damage was severe enough to require an 18‑month restoration campaign.

Monet himself was no stranger to self‑destruction; in 1908 he deliberately destroyed several of his own paintings shortly before they were to be exhibited, dissatisfied with the results.

After a year and a half of meticulous work, conservators succeeded in restoring the work to a condition that closely resembles its original luminous quality.

4 The Night Watch

Rembrandt’s 1642 masterpiece The Night Watch showcases a bustling militia company bathed in dramatic light and shadow. In 1975, a man armed with a bread knife stormed the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, slashing the canvas more than a dozen times, primarily across its lower half.

The assailant, who later claimed he acted “for the Lord,” also managed to rip a sizeable piece of canvas from the centre of the composition while fending off a security guard with his other hand. His mental health history suggested a deeper psychological motive.

In an unprecedented move, the museum opted to conduct the restoration publicly, allowing visitors to watch the painstaking process unfold within the gallery itself. Work began in July 2019, marking the 350th anniversary of Rembrandt’s death.

3 Guernica

Pablo Picasso’s monumental anti‑war canvas Guernica was defaced in 1974 when activist Tony Shafrazi spray‑painted the bold slogan “Kill Lies All” across its surface while the work was on loan to MoMA. The red graffiti stretched roughly a foot high, starkly contrasting with the monochrome palette.

When confronted, Shafrazi declared, “I’m an artist, and I wanted to tell the truth,” explaining that his act was a reaction to the pardoning of a U.S. officer involved in the My Lai massacre.

Quickly, museum staff sealed the room and enlisted restoration specialists who, thanks to the protective varnish, were able to wipe away the spray paint within an hour, leaving the original painting essentially untouched.

2 The Virgin And Child With St. Anne And St. John The Baptist

Leonardo da Vinci’s charcoal and chalk drawing, known as The Burlington House Cartoon, dates to around 1510 and serves as a preparatory study for a lost painting. Its delicate medium makes it exceptionally vulnerable.

In 1987, gunman Robert Cambridge fired a sawed‑off shotgun from a distance of just over two metres, blasting a 15‑centimetre hole through the Virgin’s flowing dress. He later claimed the act was a protest against Britain’s political, social, and economic climate.

Cambridge concealed the weapon beneath his coat, striking the protective glass before the projectile shattered the paper beneath. Though the damage was severe, conservators painstakingly gathered the minuscule fragments and reassembled them, rendering the wound virtually invisible.

The shooter was found not guilty by reason of insanity and was committed to a mental health facility, while the drawing, valued at $35 million at the time, returned to display after meticulous restoration.

1 Girl With Balloon (Love Is In The Bin)

Created in 2004, Banksy’s iconic Girl With Balloon arrived at a Sotheby’s auction encased in a heavy, ornate frame. The frame concealed a built‑in shredding device, a twist that would later become the work’s most infamous moment.

When the hammer fell on the $1.3 million piece in October 2018, someone onstage flipped the switch, activating the shredder. The canvas cascaded through the frame, and roughly two‑thirds of the image were instantly torn apart.

According to Banksy, a mechanical malfunction halted the shredder mid‑action, leaving the remainder of the work draped like a shredded fringe. The piece was promptly renamed Love Is In The Bin and, paradoxically, its value surged.

The new owner, unfazed by the partial destruction, embraced the altered artwork and completed the purchase, while Sotheby’s spokesperson quipped that the act had created a brand‑new work rather than merely destroying one.

When we think of ancient Rome today, the image that springs to mind is that of a sprawling empire, but the story began with a vibrant Republic that eventually crumbled under the ambitions of ten unforgettable megalomaniacs. These ten megalomaniacs who set in motion a chain of reforms, betrayals, and wars that irrevocably destroyed the Republic and paved the way for imperial rule.

10 Megalomaniacs Who Shaped the Fall of Rome

10 Marius

Gaius Marius, a name that may not echo loudly in modern classrooms, was in fact a transformative general whose victories over the roaming Germanic tribes secured Italy’s safety. His battlefield brilliance earned him fame, but his legacy stretches far beyond the battlefield.

The crux of his lasting impact lay in his radical overhaul of Roman recruitment. Traditionally, Rome’s legions were composed of small‑landed citizens who served briefly before returning to their farms. As Rome’s overseas ambitions grew, this model faltered: prolonged campaigns left many soldiers impoverished, while aristocrats seized their farms to create massive estates. Marius answered the manpower shortage by opening the ranks to the urban poor, turning soldiering into a professional, long‑term career with pay and the promise of land after service. This shift supplied the manpower needed to crush the Germanic threat.

While his reforms produced the army that won the wars, they also forged a new political force—legions whose loyalty lay with their commander rather than the Senate. In this way, Marius unintentionally laid the groundwork for future generals to wield personal armies against Rome itself, nudging the Republic toward its eventual downfall.

9 Sulla

Lucius Cornelius Sulla, once a dedicated lieutenant under Marius, seized the opportunity presented by the very reforms his mentor had introduced. Rising through the ranks, he proved his mettle during an Italian revolt and was initially slated to command Rome’s war against Mithridates of Pontus in 88 BC.

When Marius, driven by jealousy, wrested the command away, Sulla’s loyal legions—now professional soldiers accustomed to long service—refused to be sidelined. The resulting clash erupted into a full‑blown civil war, culminating in Sulla’s forces storming Rome, seizing power, and declaring him dictator. Rivers ran red with the blood of his opponents, and his reign, though brief, demonstrated the terrifying potency of an army bound to a single man.

After a few years, Sulla voluntarily stepped down, proclaiming his reforms complete and restoring a veneer of republican governance. Yet the precedent was set: the army’s allegiance now rested with its commander, not the state, a fault line that would be exploited by successors seeking absolute rule.

8 Lucullus

While Sulla still clung to power, a youthful and flamboyant figure emerged at Rome’s doorstep: Gnaeus Pompeius, later famed as Pompey the Great. Inheriting an army from his father, he swiftly defeated Marius’s loyalists in Sicily and demanded a triumph—a grand public celebration of his victories.

Sulla initially balked, but Pompey’s clever retort—that “more people worship the rising than the setting sun”—forced the dictator’s hand. The triumph proceeded, and soon after, the Senate appointed the aristocrat Lucullus to lead a campaign against Mithridates. Though a capable commander, Lucullus proved too aloof to grasp the new reality, relying on plunder to appease his troops rather than the generous rewards his rival Pompey offered.

The resulting discontent was stoked by the agitator Clodius, who highlighted Pompey’s generosity versus Lucullus’s stinginess. The troops mutinied, forcing Lucullus to cede command to Pompey, illustrating how personal ambition and soldierly loyalty could overturn even the most senior appointments.

7 Crassus

Marcus Licinius Crassus, whose name still reverberates as the wealthiest Roman ever recorded, watched Pompey’s eastern triumphs with a potent mix of envy and calculation. A staunch supporter of Sulla, Crassus helped eradicate the dictator’s enemies, then snapped up their confiscated estates for a pittance, amassing a fortune that dwarfed most of his contemporaries.

Despite his riches, Crassus craved the glory that eluded him on the battlefield. His rivalry with Pompey intensified after the latter’s eastern victories, and Crassus’s own attempt to suppress Spartacus’s slave revolt was eclipsed when Pompey arrived at the last moment, massacred the remaining rebels, and claimed credit for ending the uprising.

Their rivalry grew bitter, setting the stage for an inevitable clash. As Pompey prepared for further eastern campaigns, Rome trembled under the looming shadow of two powerful men whose personal ambitions threatened the very fabric of the Republic.

6 Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar entered the political arena as a modestly affluent member of an ancient, but financially strained, patrician family. Burdened by debt, he climbed the cursus honorum by aligning himself with the affluent Crassus, while simultaneously maintaining a cordial relationship with the charismatic Pompey.

Observing the friction between Crassus and Pompey, Caesar recognized an opportunity: Crassus desired a spectacular military command and legislation to protect his business interests, while Pompey sought land allocations for his veterans. By proposing a strategic alliance, he convinced both men that cooperation would amplify their individual ambitions, leading to the formation of the First Triumvirate, with Caesar as the Senate’s political frontman.

This unprecedented power‑sharing arrangement granted each member unprecedented influence, yet it also concentrated authority in the hands of three individuals, effectively sidelining traditional republican checks and balances and setting Rome on a collision course with autocracy.

5 Cato

Amid the Republic’s growing rot of bribery and intimidation, Marcus Porcius Cato stood as a beacon of unyielding integrity, openly scornful of his fellow Romans. His uncompromising moral stance earned him widespread admiration, as citizens recognized the stark contrast between his virtue and the pervasive corruption.

Cato’s steadfast refusal to bend his principles produced dire political repercussions. He obstructed Pompey’s attempts to allocate land to his veterans, prompting Pompey to propose marriage to Cato’s niece—a proposal Cato rebuffed with a cutting remark: “Cato is not to be captured by way of the women’s apartments.” This humiliation stung Pompey’s pride and highlighted the growing divide between the Republic’s elite and its moral watchdogs.

Both Caesar and Crassus sought Cato’s support, but his disdain for their perceived immorality kept him aloof. His relentless opposition forced the triumvirs to formalize their coalition, underscoring how a single incorruptible voice could shape the political landscape even amid a tide of decadence.

4 Clodius

Even as the First Triumvirate tightened its grip, dissent persisted from stalwarts like Cato and the eloquent Cicero. Seizing the moment, the populist agitator Clodius—once an officer who incited mutiny against Lucullus—renounced his aristocratic status, proclaiming himself a plebeian and rallying the city’s poor into a volatile mob.

Clodius’s radical tactics soon intertwined with the triumvirs’ agenda. As Tribune of the Plebs, he dispatched Cato to govern Cyprus, effectively removing a vocal opponent, and then orchestrated a violent campaign against Cicero, forcing the latter to flee Rome while his home was set ablaze and a liberty shrine erected atop the ruins.

This alliance between the triumvirs and Clodius amplified the Republic’s internal chaos, demonstrating how populist unrest could be weaponized by elite factions to eliminate rivals and consolidate power.

3 Milo

Clodius’s triumphs, bolstered by his provision of free wheat to the starving masses—a Roman analogue of modern welfare—further entrenched his popularity. Meanwhile, the triumvirate began to fracture: lingering animosity between Crassus and Pompey resurfaced, prompting Crassus to encourage Clodius to turn his sights on the great general.

Pompey soon found himself the target of public scorn; in the Forum, a Clodius associate subtly dropped a dagger at his feet, forcing the celebrated commander to retreat. Undeterred, Pompey rallied his own support through Milo, who secured the tribunate and hired gladiators and mercenaries to counter Clodius’s gangs, turning Rome’s streets into a battlefield.

The climax arrived when Milo and Clodius crossed paths on a road, and one of Milo’s gladiators hurling a javelin felled Clodius. Enraged supporters dragged his corpse into the Senate and set the building ablaze over his body, a gruesome spectacle that epitomized the Republic’s descent into violent factionalism.

2 Gaius Claudius Marcellus

In the wake of Clodius’s chaos, the Senate turned to Pompey for stabilization, and he swiftly suppressed the remaining gangs, restoring a tenuous peace. Yet the Republic faced a new crisis: Crassus had perished in a disastrous Parthian campaign, while Caesar’s unexpected conquests in Gaul amassed unprecedented wealth and a battle‑hardened army.

Alarmed by Caesar’s rising power, the Senate appointed Pompey as the protector of Italy, but Caesar’s legions, seasoned and loyal, outmatched Pompey’s newer recruits. The tension peaked in 50 BC when Consul Gaius Marcellus ordered Caesar to relinquish his command and return to Rome, a move that would have left Caesar vulnerable to prosecution.

Defying the decree, Caesar crossed the Rubicon in January 49 BC, igniting civil war. His bold march marked the irreversible breakdown of republican institutions, setting the stage for an ultimate showdown between two titanic figures.

1 Pompey The Great

As a safeguard against Caesar’s ambitions, the Senate had tasked Pompey with commanding Italy’s legions. Recognizing that his green recruits could not match Caesar’s seasoned veterans, Pompey opted for a strategic withdrawal, inadvertently ceding the initiative to his rival.

Pompey’s campaign, though marked by strategic brilliance, was marred by a lingering timidity. He repeatedly outmaneuvered Caesar—luring him into modern Albania, attempting sieges, and winning at Dyrrhachium—yet he failed to press his advantages, allowing Caesar to regroup and ultimately secure a decisive victory at Pharsalus.

Defeated, Pompey fled to Egypt, where the young Pharaoh, seeking favor with Caesar, ordered his assassination. While Caesar himself would later fall to conspirators, the Republic had already been mortally wounded; its ashes gave rise to Augustus, the first emperor, sealing the end of the republican experiment.

Life for the Inuit, the Indigenous peoples of Canada’s frosty Arctic, has never been a walk in the park. In fact, the 10 tragedies destroyed that have ripped apart their traditional way of life read like a tragic novel, each chapter more heartbreaking than the last.

How 10 Tragedies Destroyed the Inuit Way of Life

10 First Contact With Europeans Ended In A Kidnapping

When English explorer Martin Frobisher first set eyes on the Inuit, the encounter quickly turned sour. After a brief exchange, Frobisher seized three Inuit—a man, his wife, and their infant—dragging them aboard his vessel and ferrying them across the Atlantic to England.

Once in England, the captives were paraded as curiosities, forced to demonstrate their remarkable kayak‑building skills and hunting prowess for an eager, bewildered audience.

The Europeans held a starkly dismissive view of their captives, labeling them “savage people who fed only upon raw flesh.” Their written accounts abruptly note that the trio “died here within a month.”

Unaccustomed to European illnesses, the Inuit man fell gravely ill and passed away shortly after arrival. His wife succumbed a week later, and the infant followed soon after. Their brief burial record reads, “Burials in Anno 1577: Collichang, a heathen man, buried the 8th of November; Egnock, a heathen woman, buried the 13th of November.”

9 They Were Put In Human Zoos

By the nineteenth century, European curiosity had morphed into a grotesque spectacle: “human zoos.” Johan Adrian Jacobsen lured eight Inuit to Europe, where they began performing on October 15, 1880.

The troupe’s fate was grim. The youngest, a boy named Nuggasak, fell ill and died within two months of arrival.

Thirteen days later, Nuggasak’s mother also passed away. Jacobsen recorded the husband’s sorrow, noting his request to stay with his grieving wife— a request Jacobsen denied, insisting the show must continue.

Two days after the mother’s death, the father’s daughter became ill. Despite his pleas to remain with his dying child, Jacobsen forced the family onward to Paris, where the remaining five Inuit fell sick and were rushed to hospitals. By January 8, all five had perished.

Jacobsen’s diary chillingly admits, “Everything went so well in beginning… Should I be indirectly responsible for their deaths?”

8 An Entire Tribe Was Wiped Out

At the dawn of the twentieth century, European whalers encountered a distinct group known as the Sadlermiut, who inhabited three islands in Hudson Bay.

The Sadlermiut lived in stark isolation from neighboring Inuit, residing in stone houses rather than igloos, practicing a unique religion, and speaking a language of their own. Though they showed some cultural overlap, they maintained a separate identity.

Tragically, within just a few years, European‑borne diseases swept through the community. By 1903, every member of the Sadlermiut had succumbed, erasing an entire tribe from history.

7 The Canadian Government Gave The Inuit Numbers For Names

Early missionaries, unable or unwilling to master Inuit names, assigned biblical monikers such as “Noah” and “Jonah” to the people they encountered.

Soon after, the Canadian government instituted an identification system that replaced family surnames with numeric codes. These numbers doubled as last names on all official paperwork, and Inuit were compelled to wear the digits around their necks like dog tags.

By the 1940s, many Inuit were recorded as “Annie E7‑121” or similar. It wasn’t until 1978 that they were finally permitted to reclaim their ancestral names.

6 People Were Forcibly Moved Farther North

During the 1950s, the Canadian government launched a campaign dubbed “The Eskimo Problem,” promising Inuit a better life through relocation to supposedly richer hunting grounds.

In reality, families were shipped to remote outposts like Grise Fiord and Resolute Bay, where winter nights plunge to –40 °C (–40 °F) and darkness stretches for five months. The first year saw residents living in tents with inadequate food and supplies.

Hunting became far more arduous, and the government barred the Inuit from returning home for another 35 years. The true motive was geopolitical: cementing Canada’s Arctic claim against the USSR, as documented in official papers.

5 The RCMP Slaughtered Sled Dogs

Before the 1950s, many Inuit still survived by hunting with their trusted sled dogs. When the government forced mass relocations, it also imposed strict hunting quotas that were unsuitable for a subsistence lifestyle.

Undeterred, many Inuit kept hunting, but the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) intervened, claiming the dogs were dangerous. By the 1960s, the RCMP had killed thousands of sled dogs, effectively crippling the Inuit’s ability to travel and hunt.

Thomas Kublu, an Inuit elder, later reflected, “I never understood why they were shot. I wondered if it was because my hunting interfered with my work as a laborer.”

4 Children Were Separated From Their Parents

Once relocated to government‑created settlements, many Inuit families found themselves without local schools. As a result, children were taken away from their parents and sent to institutions in distant provinces.

Parents, fearing loss of government assistance, complied despite their own poverty and inability to hunt. In these southern schools, children were forced to speak English; those who whispered Inuktitut faced beatings.

When the children finally returned home, many could barely recall their cultural roots. One former student confessed, “I thought I was a Southerner. I didn’t want to come back. I didn’t like the tundra and the house.”

3 Children Were Abused

The residential schools that housed Inuit children were sites of unspeakable horror. Over 3,200 Indigenous youths died in these institutions, many due to systemic abuse and neglect.

Physical punishment was routine: children who spoke Inuktitut received “twenty slaps” on the desk, and those who failed to stand for the national anthem faced beatings.

Sexual abuse was rampant. Some Catholic priests coerced students into “touching their penis for candy,” while others recounted being thrown into icy showers after being raped. Government attempts to investigate were thwarted, allowing the abuse to continue unchecked.

2 Substance Abuse

Although the Indian Act originally prohibited Inuit alcohol consumption, the government lifted the ban in 1959—right after uprooting Inuit from their traditional lives.

Faced with a sudden cultural vacuum, boredom, and limited opportunities, many turned to liquor as an escape. One elder recalled, “Back then, the whole town would be drunk for a whole week. Everyone was hurting inside, not living as they should.”

This wave of alcoholism left deep scars, with many fearing that their grandchildren would inherit the same pain.

1 The New Cost Of Living Is Unbelievably Expensive

Today, progress has been made: the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement grants Inuit greater autonomy, and the Canadian government has issued formal apologies. Yet life in the North remains harsh.

Nunavut is the poorest Canadian territory, with 60 % of residents unable to afford basic groceries. The average Inuit earns only one‑third of the national average, while the cost of living soars due to permafrost‑driven reliance on imported food.

Recent photos reveal staggering prices: a cabbage costs $28.54, a slice of watermelon $13.09, a family‑size fried‑chicken bucket $61.99, and a 24‑pack of bottled water $104.99.

The lingering trauma is evident in mental‑health statistics: teenage Inuit boys face a suicide rate 40 times higher than the rest of Canada, a stark reminder that the cultural devastation continues to echo.

When it comes to the top 10 movies that ended up destroying the very studios that produced them, Hollywood’s history reads like a cautionary tale of ambition run amok. From sky‑high budgets that vanished faster than a summer blockbuster’s opening weekend to creative misfires that left balance sheets in the red, each of these films proved that a single picture can tip a studio from triumph to turmoil.

What Makes These Top 10 Movies So Dangerous for Studios

10 Cutthroat Island (1994)

Carolco Pictures had once been a powerhouse, churning out hits like Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Basic Instinct. By the mid‑1990s, however, the company found itself in a financial bind and poured roughly $98 million (about $172 million today) into a swashbuckling adventure titled Cutthroat Island. The gamble was massive, especially for a studio that was already feeling the pressure of a shifting market.

While a $98 million budget resembles the cost of a modern tentpole, back in the early ’90s it represented a make‑or‑break scenario. For Carolco, the stakes were sky‑high, and the film’s production troubles—ranging from set rebuilds to reshoots and cast changes—only deepened the hole. In short, the movie became an infamous financial catastrophe.

The theatrical run managed a paltry $10 million (approximately $17.5 million adjusted) worldwide, leaving the studio with a gaping deficit. The loss forced Carolco to sell off several international film rights and, within weeks of the release, file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The once‑glorious studio never recovered its former glory.

9 The Golden Compass (2007)

New Line Cinema earned a reputation for taking bold risks, most famously financing Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Riding that high, the studio set its sights on adapting Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials saga, launching the first installment, The Golden Compass, with a staggering $180 million (about $225.9 million today) budget. The plan was to roll out a three‑film series that would eclipse even the Ring saga.

Even though the studio had previously invested $200 million across the three Lord of the Rings films, the expectations for The Golden Compass were even loftier. Unfortunately, the movie failed to capture audiences, and its $372 million gross (roughly $466.9 million today) fell far short of the break‑even point New Line had calculated.

Within a year, the financial strain compelled New Line to restructure, offload its foreign‑rights catalog, and ultimately be absorbed by Warner Bros. While the New Line label survives as a brand, its film library now sits under the Warner Bros. umbrella.

8 Heaven’s Gate (1980)

United Artists, a studio with a storied past that included classics like Raging Bull, Annie Hall, and Apocalypse Now, was founded by none other than Charlie Chaplin. After the critical triumph of The Deer Hunter in 1978, director Michael Cimino embarked on an epic western, Heaven’s Gate, boasting a star‑studded cast that featured John Hurt, Jeff Bridges, and Christopher Walken.

When the film finally hit theaters in 1980, it was panned as one of the worst movies ever made—though it has since been reassessed and praised by critics. The studio had sunk $44 million (about $138.9 million today) into the production, yet the worldwide box office returned a meager $3.5 million (roughly $11 million today), delivering a crushing blow.

United Artists could not recoup its investment and was forced into bankruptcy. In 1981, Metro‑Goldwyn‑Mayer purchased the remnants for $350 million (around $1 billion today). The UA name resurfaced years later through various mergers, but the original studio never fully recovered.

7 Raise the Titanic (1980)

Based on the 1976 novel of the same name, Raise the Titanic was an ambitious undertaking for ITC Entertainment. Released in 1980—well before James Cameron’s later, billion‑dollar Titanic—the film demanded a prodigious $40 million (about $126 million today) budget, a staggering sum for its era.

The massive outlay proved disastrous. The movie’s box‑office haul topped out at just $7 million (approximately $22 million today), leaving the studio with a huge deficit. The financial fallout forced ITC to sell its film‑distribution arm, Associated Film Distribution, to Universal Pictures.

Lord Grade, the film’s producer, retired from moviemaking after the debacle, famously quipping that “it would have been cheaper to lower the Atlantic.” ITC shifted focus to television, but lingering financial pressures eventually led to its dissolution in 1998.

6 Titan A.E. (2000)

In the 1990s, 20th Century Fox sought to carve out a niche in animation by founding Fox Animation Studios in 1994, hiring veteran Don Bluth and Gary Goldman. After the modest success of Anastasia, the studio green‑lit a second project, the sci‑fi animated feature Titan A.E., co‑written by Joss Whedon. Initial pre‑production was budgeted at $30 million (about $45 million today), but the figure swelled.

The final production budget ballooned to $85 million (roughly $181 million today). When the film finally opened, it earned a paltry $9.4 million (around $14 million today), delivering a crushing loss. After settling all expenses, Fox faced a $100 million (about $181 million) deficit.

Just ten days after the release, Fox Animation Studios was shuttered, later giving way to the formation of Blue Sky Studios. The failure of Titan A.E. remains a textbook example of an over‑budget animated flop.

5 Cleopatra (1963)

When 20th Century Fox green‑lit Cleopatra, it earmarked a staggering $44 million (approximately $374 million today), making it the most expensive film ever produced at that point. The studio poured the money into lavish sets, opulent costumes, and an all‑out production extravaganza.

The shoot was riddled with setbacks: the original $30 million budget swelled by $14 million, directors and key cast members were swapped, and filming locations shifted twice, each requiring costly set rebuilds. Add to that the infamous off‑screen romance between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, and the production became a media circus.

Although Cleopatra topped the 1963 box‑office charts, its $57.7 million gross (about $490 million today) could not offset the astronomical costs. Fox teetered on the brink of bankruptcy, ultimately halting all production and selling off 300 acres of its lot. While the studio survived, the film left a deep financial scar.

4 The Right Stuff (1983)

The Ladd Company, founded by Alan Ladd Jr.—the man who championed Star Wars at 20th Century Fox—aimed to back bold, high‑concept projects. One such venture was The Right Stuff, a critically acclaimed drama chronicling the early U.S. space program.

Despite its critical praise, the film failed to attract audiences, resulting in a financial loss for the company. Around the same period, the Ladd Company released Twice Upon a Time, an animated feature with George Lucas as executive producer. Both titles carried hefty price tags yet generated minimal revenue.

The twin failures sealed the fate of The Ladd Company, which effectively ceased operations in 1985 when Ladd took over United Artists. Though the label was revived in partnership with Paramount in 1995 for Braveheart, and later co‑produced titles like The Phantom, its original run ended in financial ruin.

3 One From the Heart (1982)

In the early 1980s, Francis Ford Coppola ventured into uncharted territory with the musical One From the Heart. The project’s budget exploded from an initial $8 million (about $21.5 million today) to a whopping $26 million (roughly $70 million today), an eye‑popping sum for a musical at that time.

The film’s box‑office performance was disastrous: it earned merely $636,796 (approximately $1.7 million today) worldwide, released in just 41 theaters over 46 weeks. Coppola financed the picture through his own Zoetrope Studios, securing a pre‑sales loan from Chase Manhattan Bank after MGM balked at the cost.

Paramount withdrew distribution, leaving Coppola in a financial nightmare. He was forced to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy, saddled with $71 million (about $191.5 million today) in personal debt. Though he managed to salvage Zoetrope, the episode left a decade‑long scar on his finances.

2 Battlefield Earth (2000)

Battlefield Earth was the passion project of John Travolta, adapted from L. Ron Hubbard’s novel. Travolta invested $5 million (roughly $7.5 million today) of his own money, but the film quickly earned a reputation as one of cinema’s worst.

Financially, the movie grossed just under $30 million (about $45 million today) against a $73 million (approximately $110 million today) budget. To make matters worse, Franchise Pictures, the studio behind the film, faced allegations of inflating the budget by $31 million (around $46.8 million today) in a fraudulent scheme.

A lawsuit from German distributor Intertainment proved the padding claims, resulting in a court‑ordered payment of $77 million (about $116 million today). The judgment pushed Franchise Pictures into bankruptcy, sealing its demise regardless of the film’s box‑office performance.

1 It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

Today, It’s a Wonderful Life is hailed as a timeless holiday classic, but when it premiered in 1946 it was a commercial flop. Produced by Liberty Films, the picture cost $3.2 million (approximately $42.7 million today), a hefty sum for a drama without major special effects.

The film’s break‑even threshold was $6.3 million (about $84 million today), yet it barely scraped past its production budget at the box office. The modest earnings failed to cover costs, prompting the dissolution of Liberty Films, which had been founded only a year earlier by Frank Capra and Samuel K. Briskin.

Liberty Films was forced to sell its assets—including the rights to It’s a Wonderful Life and State of the Union—to Paramount Pictures in 1947. Despite its later reverence, the movie’s initial financial failure contributed directly to the studio’s downfall.

When you hear the phrase top 10 rumors, you might picture gossip that fizzles out. In reality, some of these urban legends have threatened the very existence of household names. From candy myths that terrified kids to accusations that shook fast‑food giants, each story went viral fast enough to make headlines, lawsuits, and PR nightmares. Below is a countdown of the most infamous rumors that came perilously close to wiping out entire reputations.

10 Pop Rocks and Coke

Anyone who grew up in the 1980s probably remembers the terrifying tale of Little Mikey – the kid from the Life cereal commercials – supposedly meeting a gruesome end after eating Pop‑Rocks and chugging a Coke. The story goes that the carbonation caused the candy to expand so quickly that Mikey’s stomach exploded, a claim that sent shivers down playgrounds and sparked daring challenges among kids.

Where the rumor originated remains a mystery, but it spread like wildfire. Kids dared each other to try the lethal combo, and parents even banned the crackly candy altogether. The rumor’s grip was so strong that Pop‑Rocks sales took a noticeable hit. General Mills, Life’s parent company, responded with a national ad campaign insisting that Little Mikey was still very much alive – a move that only amplified the chatter, with some insisting the actor they saw was an impostor.

Eventually, investigations proved the story false, yet the damage lingered. Pop‑Rocks were pulled from shelves for a few years in the mid‑80s before making a comeback. The FDA later confirmed the candy’s safety, and even MythBusters took a look, debunking the myth once and for all.

The Power of Top 10 Rumors

This legend illustrates how a single, sensational claim can jeopardize a product’s entire market, even when the science says otherwise.

9 Bubble Yum and Spider Eggs

When Life Savers launched Bubble Yum in 1976, it quickly became the nation’s favorite soft chewing gum. But the gum’s silky texture sparked a bizarre theory: the secret behind its chewiness was spider eggs. The rumor claimed the company harvested spider eggs to achieve that light, stringy consistency.

The story first surfaced in 1977, feeding on public curiosity and a lack of transparency. Life Savers’ president, William Mack Morris, likened fighting the rumor to “punching air,” underscoring how slippery the narrative was. Sales slumped as consumers fled the product, fearing they were chewing on arachnid‑laden gum.

In a bold counter‑move, Life Savers ran a full‑page newspaper ad proclaiming, “Somebody is Telling Very Bad Lies About a Very Good Product.” The campaign worked: the myth was officially debunked, customers returned, and Bubble Yum survived to keep blowing bubbles for decades.

8 Taco Bell Mixes Its Beef With the Family Pets

Taco Bell, the fast‑food titan founded in 1962, faced a scandal in 2011 that nearly toppled its empire. The rumor claimed the chain’s “88 % beef” slogan was a sham and that the remaining 12 % consisted of animal additives, even suggesting the inclusion of cat and dog meat imported from China.

The story ignited after a class‑action lawsuit alleged false advertising, arguing that the label misled consumers because the meat supposedly contained a mysterious blend of binders and preservatives. Taco Bell’s legal team fired back, insisting the product was indeed “88 % beef and 12 % secret recipe.”

The rumor gained extra traction when the satirical Weekly World News published a piece alleging Taco Bell imported feline and canine flesh. In response, the company released full ingredient lists, and the FDA confirmed the contents were simply beef, water, Mexican spices, and flavorings – absolutely free of any pet meat. The lawsuit was promptly dropped, and Taco Bell’s fans rushed back to the drive‑through.

7 Snapple and the KKK

In the mid‑1990s, Snapple found itself tangled in a bizarre accusation that linked the brand to the Ku Klux Klan. The controversy began when Snapple’s new iced‑tea line featured a Boston‑Tea‑Party illustration that included a ship in a harbor. Some observers claimed the image depicted slave ships, prompting outrage.

Because the Snapple bottle already displayed a prominent “K,” critics argued the letter stood for “Klan,” suggesting the company was covertly supporting the extremist group. Snapple’s founders – Hyman Golden, Leonard Marsh, and Arnold Greenberg – took to MTV to deny the claim, stating, “How can three Jewish boys from Brooklyn support the Klan?” They added “Boston Tea Party” to the label and clarified that the “K” represented the Kosher‑Pareve symbol, a common certification of kosher status.

After a swift public‑relations push, the rumor faded, and Snapple’s refreshing beverages continued to enjoy popularity without further association with the KKK.

6 Syringes in Pepsi

The first reported incident dates to 1990 in eastern Ontario, where a store clerk mistook a syringe for a straw inside a Pepsi bottle. The bottle was pulled from the shelf, and Health and Welfare Canada launched an investigation, suspecting a disgruntled employee at EastCan Beverages. Though the case never resurfaced, it set the stage for a larger panic two years later.

In June 1993, dozens of reports flooded the media claiming syringes, bullets, screws, and even drug paraphernalia were found inside cans of Pepsi. The most notable claim came from Tacoma, Washington, where an 82‑year‑old man said he discovered a needle while inspecting a Diet Pepsi can for a prize. The FDA quickly dismissed product tampering, concluding the rumors were fabricated by opportunists hoping for cash settlements.

Ultimately, about twenty people were arrested, and many withdrew their accusations. Pepsi responded with a high‑visibility campaign, inviting journalists into bottling plants to demonstrate the impossibility of inserting objects during production. The initial Ontario case remained unresolved, with a bent needle that hinted at insulin‑type use, but it never resurfaced.

5 Procter and Gamble Worship Satan

On March 1, 1994, a fabricated interview supposedly aired on the Phil Donahue Show, where the P & G president announced an affiliation with the Church of Satan and claimed a portion of profits went to the devil‑worshipping organization. The false interview sparked a massive backlash, with viewers demanding explanations.

Investigations revealed no such appearance ever occurred. Yet, the rumor persisted, with conspiracy theorists pointing to the “Man in the Moon” logo, claiming the swirls formed devil horns and a triple‑six. The logo also featured thirteen stars, which skeptics said symbolized occult power. In reality, the stars honored the original thirteen colonies, and the moon figure was simply a design trend of the era.

P & G responded by redesigning the logo in 1991 and eventually dropping it altogether. The myth resurfaced in 1999 via a Sally Jesse Raphael interview, prompting further lawsuits against competitor Amway. A 2007 jury awarded P & G over $19 million in damages, finally putting the satanic rumor to rest.

4 Glass in Girl Scout Cookies

Girl Scout cookies have long been a beloved fundraising staple, but in 1985 a shocking claim emerged: glass shards were being found inside the cookies. Subsequent reports described bite‑induced cuts and even alleged syringes hidden in boxes. The FBI became involved, and a massive recall was initiated.

Despite the alarming headlines, the scandal’s financial impact was muted. Analysts predicted losses exceeding $1 million, yet the actual dip was roughly $300,000. No systematic tampering pattern ever emerged; investigators concluded the incidents were likely pranks or attention‑seeking stunts. In response, Girl Scouts revamped their packaging to deter tampering, and sales soon recovered.

The episode demonstrates how even a single rumor can generate nationwide panic, yet consumer loyalty can endure when brands respond swiftly and transparently.

3 The Girl Scouts and Planned Parenthood

In late 2015, a new rumor surfaced alleging that Girl Scout cookie sales funded Planned Parenthood. The claim traced back to a 2012 Today Show interview with then‑CEO Kathy Cloninger, who discussed collaborations with churches, YMCAs, and Planned Parenthood on sex‑education programs. Although the partnership was strictly educational and did not involve monetary support, the rumor ignited a viral wave of videos and a Fox News opinion piece accusing the Scouts of supporting the organization.

The Girl Scouts swiftly clarified that all cookie revenue stays within the organization and that any collaboration with Planned Parenthood is purely educational. While sales dipped temporarily, the brand rebounded, though the rumor continues to resurface occasionally on social media.

This incident underscores how misinterpretations of partnership statements can morph into full‑blown scandals, especially when amplified by viral video platforms.

2 KFC Chickens Are Genetically Engineered

A sensational rumor claimed Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) was secretly engineering its chickens with hormones, removing beaks and feathers, and even growing extra wings to cut costs. The story cited a fabricated University of New Hampshire study, which in reality never existed.

The false narrative gained traction on message boards and blogs, eventually prompting KFC to file a slander lawsuit against the alleged sources. KFC also released a press statement confirming that its poultry suppliers, such as Pilgrim’s Pride and Tyson, provided conventional chickens without genetic manipulation.

The University of New Hampshire later issued a denial, and KFC’s legal victory helped silence the rumor, restoring consumer confidence in the brand’s chicken.

1 Muslim Maccas

McDonald’s, the global fast‑food behemoth, has weathered numerous controversies, but none as bizarre as the “Muslim Maccas” rumor. In the 1990s, lawsuits alleged that the chain’s French fries, advertised as cooked in 100 % vegetable oil, were actually seasoned with beef‑derived flavorings, rendering them non‑vegetarian and offensive to Muslim and vegetarian consumers.

Legal battles culminated in 2002, with McDonald’s issuing a public apology and agreeing to a $10 million settlement for affected religious and vegetarian groups. A separate case involved a Muslim family in Alabama claiming bacon pieces were deliberately placed in their McChicken sandwiches – an accusation McDonald’s attributed to an honest mistake, though it still sparked legal scrutiny.

These episodes highlight how allegations—whether about hidden animal products or alleged sabotage—can quickly evolve into high‑stakes legal disputes, forcing corporations to reassess transparency and ingredient labeling.

From candy myths to accusations of satanic worship, these ten stories prove that a single rumor can send shockwaves through even the most entrenched brands. Yet, with swift action, transparent communication, and a dash of humor, many of these companies managed to survive, learn, and continue serving us the products we love.

Destruction of cultural artifacts and heritage sites in times of war has been a norm throughout history, intentionally or otherwise. Sadly, cultural heritage is still one of the many casualties of war, often leaving a deep, lasting impact on the legacy and identity of communities caught in the crossfire. 

10. Royal Opera House, Malta

Throughout the Second World War, and especially on the European front, numerous works of art and other cultural artifacts were threatened by bombing, as cities and cultural centers became targets of warfare. The Royal Opera House of Malta was one such institution, suffering almost-complete destruction at the hands of German and Italian air bombers.

The building was damaged on April 7, 1942. While the bombers had originally intended to target the surrounding area of the capital city of Malta, Valletta, it still caused significant damage to historic buildings and cultural institutions on the island. 

Built in the 18th century, the Royal Opera House served as a venue for opera, ballet, and other theater arts. Despite the damage, however, the building was eventually restored and continues to operate to this day.

9. Old Summer Palace, China

The destruction of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, also known as the Yuanming Yuan, was a major event in early modern Chinese history. It happened during the Second Opium War in 1860, fought between the Qing dynasty and a British-French expeditionary force for trading rights in China. 

On October 18, 1860, the palace was plundered and burned to the ground by allied forces led by Lord Elgin – the British High Commissioner to China. The palace – a lavish and expansive complex of gardens, lakes, and buildings – was used as a summer retreat by Qing emperors and considered a symbol of the empire’s culture and power. Its destruction was a huge blow to the Qing dynasty, and is still remembered as a major event in the country’s history within China. Even today, tens of thousands of visitors come from all over the country to see the well-preserved ruins, even though there have been several calls to rebuild it by scholars and other experts in the past few years.  

8. Buddhas Of Bamiyan, Afghanistan

The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two ancient statues of Buddha carved into the side of a cliff in Hazarajat, Afghanistan. Built in the sixth century, the towering structures – 180 feet and 124 feet tall – stood as examples of Buddhist art from the Gandhara period, until they were destroyed in 2001 by the Taliban. 

Having seized power in 1996, they saw all parts of the non-Islamic heritage of Afghanistan as foreign, and announced their intention to destroy the Buddhas on February 26, 2001. Over the next few weeks, explosives and artillery were used against the site, bringing them down by March 14.

The destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan was met with widespread international condemnation, as it was seen as a symbolic victory for Taliban’s extremist ideology. Today, only ruins remain of what was once an impressive structure from a golden age of Afghanistan, despite the previous government’s best efforts to restore them to their former shape. 

7. Winged Bull Of Nineveh, Iraq

In 2014, ancient cultural and archeological sites across Iraq were captured and targetted by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) – a radical Islamic group that sought to…well, you know ISIS. They considered many of these artifacts to be blasphemous and seeked to completely destroy them, as they didn’t fit their specific idea of the history of the region. 

On February 26, 2015, the Islamic State released a video of the destruction of the Winged Bull of Nineveh and other artifacts in the Mosul Museum, after they had overrun the ancient site of Nineveh in Mosul, Iraq. It showed armed militants using sledgehammers and power tools to destroy the impressive stone structure, which dated back to the Assyrian kingdom in the seventh century BC, also known as one of the cradles of human civilization. 

6. Old City Of Sana’a, Yemen

The old district of Sana’a – also called the Old City – is a historic area located in the capital city of Yemen. It’s known for its distinctive architecture and ancient landmarks, including the Great Mosque of Sana’a built in the seventh century. Due to its cultural and historical significance, the Old City was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986.  

In 2015, Yemen became embroiled in a civil war between the government, supported by a Saudi-led coalition, and the Houthi rebel group. It’s one of the deadliest ongoing conflicts, having claimed the lives of at least 377,000 people by the end of 2021, according to reports. One of its first casualties was the Old City, which was allegedly bombed by the Saudi-led coalition in June, 2015. It destroyed a large part of it, including lasting damage to some of its landmark buildings like the Great Mosque. 

5. Benin City, Nigeria

Benin City was once the capital of the Kingdom of Benin – a powerful West African empire that flourished between the 14th and 19th centuries in modern-day Nigeria. It was known for its advanced political and social system, as well as its sophisticated art and architecture. The city was home to many important cultural landmarks, including the Royal Palace and Oba’s Palace. According to one estimate, Benin City’s walls were at least four times longer than the Great Wall of China. 

Sadly, the Benin empire found itself in the way of British colonization, and the capital was destroyed by British forces during a punitive expedition in 1897. According to eyewitness accounts, it was looted and burned to the ground, and almost all of its most valuable possessions – including its famed bronze and ivory sculptures – were taken to Europe to be sold in private auctions. While Benin still exists as a modern-day city in Nigeria, it’s nowhere close to what it once used to be.  

4. National Museum Of Iraq

The National Museum of Iraq in Baghdad housed a vast collection of artifacts and historical treasures, including ancient tablets and cuneiform texts, sculptures, and jewelry from ancient Mesopotamia. Its collection spanned a period of over 5,000 years, from the Sumerian civilization to the Ottoman Empire. Sadly, it’d also be one of the many casualties of the Iraq War, as most of its prized artifacts were looted within the first few months of the invasion. 

It began on April 10, 2003, as the collapse of the Iraqi government left the museum unguarded. While there were reports of American soldiers trying to stop it, the looting still continued for several days, resulting in the loss of many of the museum’s most valuable possessions. While more than 8,000 artifacts were thankfully removed and kept safely by the staff, around 15,000 were stolen within 36 hours, including archaeological material from some of the oldest sites in the Middle East. 

3. Mosque of Nabi Yunus/Tomb of Jonah, Iraq

The ancient mosque of Nabi Yunus – also called the Tomb of Jonah – in Mosul, Iraq was built on an archeological site dating back to the eighth century BC. It was a symbol of the region’s history of peaceful coexistence and ethnic diversity, as the site was considered holy by Muslims, Christians, and Jews. 

As you can probably guess from the general theme of this list, the tomb was targetted by Islamic State militants following their conquest of vast parts of Iraq in 2014, including the city of Mosul. It was finally destroyed with explosives and artillery on July 24, 2014, along with the ancient artifacts buried underneath it. According to locals, cultural sites near the tomb were extensively looted before the destruction, though we still don’t know the full extent of what all was stolen. 

2. Flakturm Friedrichshain, Germany

The Second World War saw the destruction of much of Europe’s cultural heritage, especially in Germany during the latter part of the war. One example was the loss of artwork at Flakturm Friedrichshain – a flak tower located in Berlin, Germany used to store valuable works for safekeeping, including works by artists like Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse. 

It was also a defensive position, as the tower housed anti-aircraft guns and bunkers in case it was attacked. Obviously, as we all know how the war ended, that wasn’t enough, and the tower was heavily bombarded by the Allied forces advancing on Berlin in April, 1945. That resulted in a large fire breaking out in one of its chambers, leading to the complete incineration of more than three floors of paintings, sculptures, and other pieces of art from all over Europe. 

1. House Of Wisdom, Iraq

The House of Wisdom, also known as the Bayt al-Hikma, was a significant cultural institution in the Islamic world. Located in Baghdad, Iraq, it was founded in the eighth century during the reign of the Abbasid caliph, Harun al-Rashid. It was a center of learning and scholarship, and home to perhaps the largest collection of manuscripts in the world at the time, which played a key role in the flourishing of science and culture during the Golden Age of Islam. 

All that would come to a tragic end in 1258, when the city was ransacked in a Mongol invasion led by Hulagu Khan. According to survivor testimonies, so many books were thrown into the Tigris river that it turned black from the ink. It was a major event in the history of Islam, bringing an abrupt end to the golden age and setting the city back by decades, probably centuries.

Everybody is entitled to the right to privacy. It is a fundamental human right that falls under the first-generation human right—except, with technology, it’s not! Today, there is a lot of controversy surrounding privacy because its definition varies globally. Technology has many benefits, but it hasn’t helped on this front. If anything, its development has further brought confusion in understanding privacy as a fundamental human right.

The widespread security issues continue to undermine the protection of privacy. They need constant control and surveillance of what happens in this world. Given the many benefits of technology, privacy is often overlooked despite its significance. Here, we look at ten ways technology has destroyed privacy.

Related: Top 10 Alternatives To Popular Sites And Apps (That Protect Your Privacy)

10 The Untold Side of Biometric Scanners

Thanks to technology, you can now use your eyes, fingers, or face for identification. Biometric scanners are undoubtedly fast, convenient, and almost secure. Apart from unlocking your phone, checking into your workplace, and gaining access to designated areas, people continue to find ways of leveraging the services provided by biometric scanners. For instance, some hotels and fast foods use biometric scanners to scan their customers’ faces and tell who made their orders first and what they ordered.

This may seem like a normal act for unsuspecting customers and another convenient technological advancement. However, if a system can identify you based on your past movements, it shows that it can store short-term or long-term data. What happens to the stored data? While it’s true that there are policies and regulations set barring companies from using the information and data they obtain from their customers illegally, you cannot always trust people like that. As much as they help, biometric scanners remain one of the biggest privacy threats to unsuspecting users.

9 Voice Interception

Have you ever heard of Lawful Interception (LI)? Yes, it’s just as fishy as it sounds. LI allows law enforcement to eavesdrop on users of communication networks, provided they have the mandate to do so. This means a government agent can walk into a Mobile Network Carrier (MNC) and demand access to the channel and supporting data. With these, the agent can listen to conversations of the people of interest without their knowledge. While this technology can help solve crimes, it can be exploited if people with wrong intentions gain access to it, and they mostly do.

Imagine sitting in your house talking to the love of your life, talking about all the things that even the walls must not hear, only to notice that a third party is listening to your conversation. Or, you are passing critical information to a colleague or partner, only for someone else to tap your discussion. Many people have lost their properties and money through these voice interception apps. Mobile phones are perfect for communication, but users should know they risk privacy breaches while on them.

8 The Internet Doesn’t Forget, Nor Is It Ever Full

Showbiz celebrities have mostly been on the end of internet data and document leaks. However, this is only so because of their status and the positions they assume in the community. Many people have seen pictures, videos, or audio they would rather keep to themselves leak online and away from their control. Cases of bitter exes exposing the nudity of their once partners continue to rock the internet today.

Before the massive technological advancements, intimate partners, leaders, and influential people did not have the internet to worry about. At this point, they would square it out alone without airing their dirty linen in public if anyone had a problem with anybody. Undoubtedly, technology has improved communication along with other aspects of life. But in so doing, it has put most people in the mercies of other people, just to avoid having their private documents, pictures, audio, or videos surfacing online. The most devastating part is that it is very easy to “leak” content online that it almost goes untraced. Once it’s there, it’s never truly deleted.

7 Online Cookies

Have you ever been browsing the internet and started seeing emails or adverts prompting you to buy or subscribe to a newsletter similar to the content you have been surfing? For instance, if you are looking for the latest models of your preferred TV brand, you immediately start seeing ads for the best TV offers. While this is not entirely bad, how did the advertisers know your interests? Simple answer: cookies!

When you visit a website, and it asks you to “allow or reject cookies,” the page owner is simply “seeking permission” to monitor your online activities. The question remains: what more information do cookies collect? In fact, there are some pages you can’t browse without accepting the cookies—it feels like trading your privacy for something else.

6 Video Conferencing, Webinars, and Chat Apps Don’t Help Much Either

Zoom is one of the most popular teleconferencing platforms. It gained its fame when most people were required to work from home. To be fair, it helps colleagues to communicate effectively and keep companies in line with their goals. However, as you know, there is a price for everything. For this and similar apps, the price is your privacy.

So many embarrassing cases have been witnessed since these teleconferencing apps became a thing. For instance, a respectable family member and company might be busy addressing their colleague only for a family member to start twerking half naked in the background, not knowing that the camera is on. In such as case, it’s no one’s fault; one has to work, and the other has to live their best life at home.

5 GPS Tracking

GPS is an acronym for Global Positioning System. Given that it is available globally and is powered by world satellites, people rely on it to travel anywhere they want. GPS is the modern-day directory, only that it is more advanced, and anyone with a smart device can use it. We can go on all day about the benefits of this system and still not exhaust them. However, our concern comes in when privacy is thrown out the window. When using your smartphone, it is “normal” to see a prompt asking you, “app X wants to access your location,” and you wonder why.

Usually, authorities use GPS to locate people of interest and track their movements. In the same spirit, malicious people can tap their victims’ smart devices and follow them wherever. They can even track their cars and other automobiles with simple GPS trackers. Simply put, GPS and privacy doesn’t go together.

4 Internet Service Providers’ Uncontrolled Privileges

Internet Service Providers, popularly known as ISPs, provide customers with an internet connection at a cost. The clients then use the internet provided to surf, work, or entertain themselves but not without the watchful eye of the ISPs. Unsurprisingly, you can visit one site and are told you can’t access it while your internet connection is on and working on other platforms; that is probably because your ISP has blocked you from accessing it.

ISPs can tell your IP address and see the sites you visit. Who is to say they can’t access your private information if they want to? Unfortunately, to leverage the full feature of technology, it’s almost inevitable that we have to give up some degree of our privacy.

3 Remote Desktop Applications

Remote desktop applications such as TeamViewer and AnyDesk have become extremely useful, especially after the pandemic rocked the world. They allow you to access your computer remotely, providing a good internet connection. This way, colleagues can work remotely, or you can access vital files and documents even if you do not have your device with you.

As expected, you must give up some privacy for these applications to function optimally. For instance, if you pair your computer with a colleague’s for work purposes, the other person can access and alter most of the features in your computer (including those that are not work-related). Even if the person you are working with pretended not to have seen something on your computer, they would have.

2 Audio Recordings

Audio recorders are one of the biggest privacy invaders in the history of technological developments. People have had conversations with their peers or family members that they thought were confidential, only for them to find what they said in the wrong hands or rooms. Sound recorders were initially created to help journalists record news and businesses attend to their customers. However, as time passed, malicious people discovered they could use these devices to extort or threaten their victims.

The rapid technological developments now allow some communication applications such as WhatsApp to record and send voice notes. However, the recordings have often landed in the wrong hands, causing embarrassment and untold trouble for the owners. The recorded voice is different than face to face conversations in many aspects.

1 Social Media Tracking

And now to the most significant culprit; social media. As it stands, over 4.2 billion people worldwide use different social media platforms, with all demanding that users give up some level of their privacy. The minimum requirement is an email address or mobile phone number, but there is no limit to how much of your privacy they can invade.

For example, Facebook allows users to upload their pictures, post videos, and comment on other peoples’ posts. While this might seem harmless, most users usually do not realize that it becomes easier to track by providing personal details. The more they post, the more they throw away their privacy. The sad bit is that once something appears on social media, it can never be deleted, even if you get the illusion that you have done so. There is always a way through which someone can retrieve your shared content. The bottom line is that social media has no privacy; you can only limit how much you give away.