The world recently watched in horror as Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris was engulfed in a blaze which caused extensive damage to the centuries-old building. The cathedral also housed many artistic treasures and artifacts, some of which were damaged in the blaze. Restorations to the cathedral were underway at the time of the fire, and investigators have been examining whether this may have contributed to the blaze, currently believed to have been caused by an electrical short-circuit.^[1]

Many of our world treasures are housed in climate- and light-controlled rooms in specialist museums and galleries. Necessary restoration work is often undertaken by teams of specialists, who painstakingly preserve these artworks and artifacts for the future. However, there have been a number of restorations in recent years which have caused art and architectural historians to ask, “What were they thinking?”

In the past, these restoration failures may have been hidden from view. Art and history lovers today, however, are been quick to take to social media to share some of these debacles. Many were the work of well-meaning amateurs, while some bungled projects were the work of professionals. They do say art is in the eye of the beholder.

10 Monkey Christ

“Monkey Christ” is probably the most well-known botched art restoration attempt, having achieved worldwide infamy via social media.

In 2012, Spanish painter Elias Maritinez’s famous fresco Ecce Homo in the Borja Church was beginning to look a little dilapidated, so a parishioner in the small village church decided to give the artwork a bit of a spruce-up. However, not only the congregation but also the rest of the world was horrified when Cecelia Gimenez’s work was revealed.

The original artwork was barely recognizable. Now dubbed “Monkey Christ,” the botched restoration work went viral. Christ’s crown of thorns looked more like a woolly hat, and the facial features bore little resemblance to Martinez’s original work. The original features had been all but obliterated.^[2]

In a strange turn of events, Gimenez actually did her town a huge favor, just not exactly in the manner in which she intended. The octogenarian’s botched restoration attempt on the fresco became so famous that it is now a major tourist attraction. It attracts far more visitors to the small Spanish town than it did before. A comic opera was even staged in the town of Borja to commemorate Giminez’s failed brush with artistic restoration work.

9 Madonna And Child

Also in Spain, 15th- and 16th-century wooden carvings in a church in Ranadoiro were given an update which art experts labeled “a disaster.”

Although the statues had been professionally restored 15 years previously, a well-meaning local parishioner thought the drab wooden carvings could do with a splash of color to brighten them up. After convincing the priest to let her take them home for a while, she began work on the statues. For more than a year, she worked to painstakingly paint two carvings of the Virgin and Child and one of St. Peter to give them a more modern feel.

The end result, revealed in 2018, was likened to “children’s toys,” with one of the Mary carvings resembling a Barbie doll. In the other, the mother of Christ’s robes were turned a garish pink, with the infant Christ wearing lurid green robes.

While the artist claimed she “painted them as well as she could,” art historians were furious. Officials questioned why an inexperienced restorer had been allowed to remove the artifacts from the church to undertake the transformation. Several coats of common household paint had been used to decorate the statues. It was unclear whether the carvings, which had enormous historic and artistic value, would be able to be salvaged.^[3]

8 Statue Of St. George

A 500-year-old wooden carving of St. George on horseback had sat for many years in a recess in the back of a church in Estella, Northern Spain. The carving was in good condition, though a little dirty, when the priest of the church of San Miguel de Estella enlisted the help of a local art teacher to restore the relic in 2018.

A workshop was engaged to clean the statue. During the process, the historic relic was also repainted. It would seem, however, that a little more homework had been needed for the project.

A bright new paint job left the 16th-century carving looking more like a Disney character, prompting questions about the amateur restoration of the historic treasure. Authorities investigated whether the carving could be successfully “un-restored.” It was feared that the original intricate paintwork could be lost beneath the layers of modern plaster and paint.^[4]

7 Buddha Sculpture

Restoration work on historic Buddha statues in China’s Sichuan province were the subject of scorn when photos were circulated on social media more than 20 years after work was completed.^[5]

The Buddhist shrine dating back to the Song dynasty (960–1279) is carved into a mountainside in Anyue township. It is not only a sacred place to local villagers but also a site of important historical and cultural significance. In 1995, local villagers pooled their limited resources to “restore” the ancient artifacts. It seems well-meaning locals often believe they are protecting and caring for the relics by “restoring” them.

It wasn’t until a cultural relics enthusiast visiting the region’s sacred grottoes came to the site that experts became aware of the disastrous restoration. Pictures posted to his social media account in 2018 received harsh criticism. The artifacts had been transformed into cartoon-like statues. The ancient stone relics had received a garish paint job, with some commentators likening Buddha’s halo to a “giant lollipop.”

Government officials have now put stricter guidelines in place to prevent further amateur “restorations.”

6 Roman Mosaics In Turkey

It seems that even archaeological experts are not safe from questions over their restoration of valuable world treasures. A Turkish museum was criticized in 2015 for their restoration work on a series of Roman mosaics.

Misplaced tiles and inaccurate colors were said to have changed the appearance of the famous second-century panels. Photos show significant differences in some of the mosaics following the restoration work.^[6]

Art experts claimed the mosaics were “caricatures of their former selves” and that valuable artworks were ruined. Restorers argued that the Turkish press had manipulated the images to distort the differences in the “before and after” photos. Turkey’s culture minister suspended restoration work at the museum pending an investigation into the mosaics.

5 Tutankhamun’s Beard

The burial mask of Tutankhamun is one of Cairo’s biggest tourist draws. However, a botched repair job on the 3,000-year-old artifact saw a number of museum staff facing criminal charges in 2016.^[7]

The previous year, the blue beard on the mask had become detached for reasons unknown, with a number of attempts to repair the break further damaging the artifact. Large amounts of an inappropriate glue were employed in the repair job. Sharp objects were used in an attempt to scrape off excess glue, scratching the mask. The end result was a very obvious joint where the beard had been stuck on, surrounded by a residue of glue.

A team of German conservation experts were called in to repair the damage, restoring Tutankhamun’s beard before he was returned to public display.

4 Chinese Frescoes In Chaoyang

Crumbling Chinese frescoes were left looking more like a cartoon strip following a restoration in 2013. Located in the Yunjie Temple in Chaoyang, the frescoes are believed to date back to 300 years to the Qing dynasty.

The cost of the delicate task of restoring the original murals was beyond the budget of the small temple, so a local company was called in to undertake the repairs more cheaply. The 300-year-old frescoes were simply painted over with new, brightly colored figures from Taoist mythology. The new paintings bore no resemblance to the original murals.^[8]

The cartoon-like results prompted online fury at the destruction of these ancient treasures when images began to appear on social media.

3 Castillo De Matrera

The forces of nature were slowly eroding Castillo de Matrera in Southern Spain to a crumbling ruin. Remaining parts of the heritage-listed castle had begun to collapse. The castle has a rich history dating back to the ninth century and was declared a site of cultural significance by the Spanish government in 1985.

In 2016, Cadiz locals were aghast at the results after the owners of the castle employed architects and builders to restore the site. Restoration work stabilized the remaining structure, while providing an idea of what the original castle may have looked like. However, the combination of the old brickwork with modern materials fell flat with locals, who felt the castle had been ruined.^[9]

The project to preserve the ancient ruin ended up winning in the Preservation category of the New York A + Architizer awards.

2 Ocakli Ada Castle

An ancient castle in Turkey was likened to a popular cartoon character when restoration work was unveiled.

Ocakli Ada Castle in Sile is thought to have looked over the Black Sea since Byzantine times. After hundreds of years of neglect, local officials felt it was time to undertake work of preserving the remains of the castle. Restoration work on the castle took several years to complete. Stonework, windows, and battlements were rebuilt, and the structure was stabilized.

However the newly refurbished castle was mocked on social media in 2015. Many commentators noted the window placements unfortunately made the castle look like a depiction of SpongeBob SqaurePants.^[10]

1 Statue Of St. Anthony Of Padua

In 2018, parishioners of a Colombian church were outraged when a budget restoration on the statue of their patron saint left him looking like he was wearing makeup.

The wooden 17th-century statue of St. Antonio de Padua in Soledad was sadly in need of repair. The paint on the statue had become quite faded, and termites had begun to eat away at parts of the wood. So an artist was commissioned to repaint the statue at the modest fee of just $328.^[11]

Following the paint job, angry churchgoers took to social media to display before and after photos of their patron saint. The end result left both St. Antonio and the child he is carrying wearing garish makeup, not in keeping with religious icons. Locals were outraged that St. Antonio now looked “quite effeminate.”

Restoration experts believed the techniques required to paint the wooden sculpture had not been followed.

Lesley Connor is a retired Australian newspaper editor, providing articles for online publications and her own travel blog.

Social media is incredibly divisive. Most people agree that it’s marvelous at connecting us, but there is a strong movement toward reducing the time we spend online. (The coronavirus quarantines and social distancing guidelines are an exception, of course.)

The Internet can definitely have an unfavorable impact on some aspects of our lives, making us unhappy occasionally. However, the negative repercussions of social media can also be grave enough to be linked to fatalities.

These stories are cautionary tales of 10 deaths directly linked to social medial and the Internet.

10 Creepy Things Social Media Does To Control Your Mind

10 Influencer’s Birthday Pool Party Drownings

Earlier this year, the death of three Russians at a birthday pool party was announced on Instagram, creating a frenzy on the Internet. The beginning of the story does not sound that unusual—until you realize that about 25 kilograms (55 lb) of dry ice were dumped into the pool.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Yekaterina Didenko, the birthday girl and influencer, tearfully recounted the devastating event to her over one million followers. Russian news media and some bloggers criticized her for trying to capitalize on it.

At the party, several people were choking and passing out after jumping into the pool containing dry ice. Despite its name, dry ice is actually solid carbon dioxide (the gas we exhale when we breathe out) that is frozen at a temperature of -78 degrees Celsius (-109 °F).

As dry ice doesn’t melt—it goes from solid to gaseous at room temperature—people use it for party tricks and cool effects. This process, called “sublimation,” gives CO₂ its “smoky” qualities.

When dry ice melts in confined spaces, it turns into carbon dioxide gas, a potentially harmful substance. Carbon dioxide can cause breathing difficulties and asphyxiation, which was the reason for the party guests’ deaths.^[1]

9 Choking Challenge
The Internet’s Most Dangerous Craze

The “choking game” (aka “fainting game”) is the act of intentionally cutting off oxygen to the brain, causing the person to pass out. Children and teenagers take the challenge mostly due to curiosity (allegedly, it induces euphoria) and peer pressure.

This incredibly dangerous and irresponsible activity has been around since long before the Internet existed. (In fact, the first death was reported in 1995.) Even though the Internet cannot be blamed for the creation of the choking game, it can be credited for its resurgence.

Social media viral challenges are a huge deal for young people. Usually, when a teenager sees someone his age doing something thrilling on the Internet, he´ll try to replicate it. That’s the purpose of these challenges, which range from the ridiculous to the horrifying.

The choking game has made several comebacks over the years due to social media challenges. In 2006, a year after YouTube was created, 35 deaths were caused by the choking game. In 2019, teenager Mason Bogard died while attempting the challenge.^[2]

8 Deadliest Selfies Part I
Model Falls Off A Cliff

People will do anything for a selfie. If you don’t believe that, just do a quick search on “selfie-related deaths.” Madalyn Davis was not the first and won’t be the last casualty caused by the search for a great picture.

Davis, a makeup artist and social media influencer, was an expert in eyelash styling and had thousands of followers across different platforms. She was vacationing in Australia when the tragedy occurred.

Davis fell off a cliff in Diamond Bay Reserve in Sydney while trying to take a risky photo. Police and paramedics launched an air and water search with the assistance of the Marine Area Command. Unfortunately, the body of the British model was found in the water about four hours later. She had died on impact from head injuries.^[3]

7 Facebook Unfriending Culminates In A Double Homicide

Have you ever been “unfriended” on Facebook?

It’s not a nice feeling. But normal people get over it in a couple of hours. Thirty-one-year-old Jenelle Potter did not have a typical reaction. Instead, she decided that murder was the sensible response.

This story deserves a list of its own as it involves jealousy, the CIA, and a double homicide. Here’s the short version: After allegedly being cyberbullied by a couple of her former friends, Jenelle convinced her parents to shoot them.

The crime happened in 2012. Janelle’s father claimed that he acted according to his own impulses. However, the prosecutor of the case believed that Jenelle had manipulated her parents with a catfishing scheme.

Allegedly, Jenelle used social media to deceive her parents into killing her former friends. She created a fake profile of a CIA agent. The “agent” sent messages saying that Jenelle’s life was in danger.^[4]

6 Woman Lynched By A Mob In Brazil Over An Internet Rumor

Spreading rumors is a nasty thing to do. Although the practice was not invented online, it has certainly been exacerbated by the Internet. In the old days, the impact of a rumor was limited to small groups of people. Usually, the worst-case scenario was getting a raunchy reputation in your school. However, rumors gain a whole new dimension with the Internet’s reach and propensity to distort reality.

In 2014, Fabiane Maria de Jesus, a mother of two, was identified by a local Facebook page as a criminal accused of kidnapping children and sacrificing them in satanic rituals. The origin of the misunderstanding was supposedly a police sketch that vaguely resembled a picture of her.

The Brazilian woman was dragged through the streets by a mob of people and beaten to death. When six of the miscreants were arrested, a protest broke out at the police station. People screamed, “Do you want to arrest everybody? It’s everybody’s fault! It’s nobody’s fault! It’s the Internet’s fault!”^[5]

9 Sinister Facts About The Dark Side Of Instagram

5 Teenager Is Cyberbullied Until He Commits Suicide

The earliest deaths attributed to the Internet are related to cyberbullying-induced suicide, which is made much worse by social media. As a society, we now take bullying more seriously due to the long-lasting effects on the victims.

It can be difficult to put an end to bullying in schools, but it is even harder to stop it on the Internet. One of the most notorious cases is the suicide of 13-year-old Ryan Halligan. He was relentlessly cyberbullied by other kids on Myspace due to a rumor that he was gay.

At one point, a girl pretended to like him, only to later publicly humiliate the boy for believing in her affection. Ryan told her: “It is girls like you that make me want to kill myself.”

Ryan hanged himself in 2003. His lifeless body was found by his sister.^[6]

4 Deadliest Selfies Part II
Mauled By A Bear

In another selfie-related incident, a man was killed by a bear in India while trying to take a picture with the animal. After attending a wedding, Prabhu Bhatara was driving back to his house when he decided to stop to urinate in the woods. While doing so, he spotted an injured bear, which prompted him to attempt to take the selfie of the year.

As Prabhu approached the animal, the bear attacked and a struggle ensued. A stray dog at the site intervened but failed to deter the bear. The whole ordeal was filmed by a bystander, and clips of the horrific incident can be found on the Internet.^[7]

India’s wildlife often clashes with people in the suburban areas of the country. To no one’s surprise, that was the third fatality linked to selfies with wild animals in that region in a year.

3 YouTuber Dies In A Paragliding Accident While Filming A YouTube Video

Having a YouTube channel drives you to do crazy things to get views.

On “The King of Random” channel, Grant Thompson used to showcase DIY projects and experiments, but outdoor activities were also featured. Unfortunately, the influencer passed away in 2019. He was found dead near Sand Hollow State Park, Utah.

Along with his body, paragliding equipment and a recording device were recovered. This suggested that he died while attempting to film a video for his popular YouTube channel.^[8]

2 Woman Strangled By Her Tinder Date In A Rough Sex Session

Tinder is probably the first name that pops into your mind when you think of online dating. The platform is so successful that even nonusers understand what the terms “swipe left” and “swipe right” mean.

Dating in the social media era can make you feel safer. You don’t meet people face-to-face right away, and you can get a friend to track your position through GPS. However, this extra sense of security can lead you to ignore basic instincts and bypass self-preservation precautions.

Women are especially vulnerable to predatory behavior. The death of 22-year-old Grace Millane serves as an example of how we can never be too safe while meeting people we don’t know.

While the British woman was backpacking in New Zealand, she agreed to go on a date with a man she met on Tinder. The date went from promising to tragic when she was strangled during a rough sex session.

The man, not identified for legal reasons, hid her remains in a suitcase. Then he went on another date with another woman.^[9]

1 Lips To Die For:
The Kylie Jenner Challenge

Kylie Jenner is a media personality who stars in the reality TV show Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Her estimated net worth is US$1 billion, making her the youngest billionaire at 21. She is known for her ravishing beauty, of which the most coveted aspect is definitely her plump lips.

The desire to have Kylie’s pouty lips inspired the Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge. Teenagers inserted their lips into shot glasses and sucked out the air to create a vacuum. The aim was to swell the lips. The problem is that the act itself is dangerous due to the injuries sustained to the face.

In 2015, a story circulated online that Natalie Cardenas, 19, was found dead on her bedroom floor with “huge lips” and a shot glass in her hands. According to the fictional account, the tragedy prompted the authorities to declare the Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge illegal in the United States. Although no credible source confirms that story, it’s a good idea to skip the challenge as it can cause real and possibly lasting injuries.^[10]

10 Ways Organizations Manipulated Social Media For Political Agendas

About The Author: Arnaldo is a Brazilian with a PhD in quantum chemistry who is living in the UK. He is a fanatic about science, beer, and the Internet.

When you picture an occultist, the typical image that comes to mind is a wizened sixteenth-century figure pouring over mysterious runes and ancient scrolls. But the dark magicians of today are more likely to found hunched over a MacBook, tweeting their favorite herbal recipes and live streaming to their online coven.

In this technological age, supernatural forces have found enormous popularity on social media, especially under quarantine. In fact, for many practitioners, online witchcraft is a lucrative business. Over the past five years the US psychic services industry has grown to the value of $2 billion dollars.^[1]

Gone are the levitating broomsticks and ill-fated familiars. The new generation of keyboard mystics peddle their wares on Instagram, link up over Zoom and are even able to cast spells using emojis. These are ten of the ways that dark magic is infiltrating social media.

Top 10 Films With Creepy Links To The Occult

10 Anti-Trump Witches Hex The US Election

The 2020 presidential election has been one of the most controversial and divisive in US history. Joe Biden’s victory has been met with delight and fury in equal measure, along with accusations of voter fraud from Donald Trump and many of his supporters. But was there more to Biden’s triumph than meets the eye? Was there, perhaps, some kind of magical intervention?

It sounds bizarre, but occultists across the US believe their political incantations helped swing the vote in Biden’s favor. On Halloween, three days before the election, magical activist Michael M. Hughes encouraged thousands of witches to convene online for a ritual that he said would rid the country of President Trump. Participants were instructed to chant cleansing spells, light politically-decorated candles, and cover maps in blue paint, all beneath the glow of a full blue moon.

Together, Hughes claims, he and his followers were able to invoke the power of their ancestral spirits and raise “a mighty blue wave” to propel Biden into the White House. There, they say, he will “wash away the corruption and injustice and wickedness of Donald Trump and the Republican Party in a peaceful transition of power.”^[2]

Political magic might sound like a relatively modern invention, but its origins date back centuries. During the Second World War, some Britons called on magical intervention to protect themselves from Nazi invasion. And in the US, a feminist group known as W.I.T.C.H. first descended on Wall Street in protest in the 1960s, and are still protesting against capitalism to this day.^[3]

9 Casting Spells With Emoji Magic

Runes and symbols are valuable tools in the world of black magic. For years, witches and wizards have used pictorial sorcery to conjure up their needs and desires. In fact, image-based magic – known as sigil magick – is a longstanding tradition whose origins date back to medieval times. But now, in the age of social media, casting spells with Gothic runes feels a little old hat. So, tech-savvy sorcerers found a way to give sigil magick a modern-day face lift, using an icon of the 21st century: the emoji.

With emoji spells, a new generation of witches and wizards are said to be able to produce incantations from the comfort of their cell phones. The key, sigil experts claim, is to be direct when casting the spell. Visualize your intentions clearly, then translate them into emoji and send them out into cyberspace. So if you are searching for your keys, for example, you might cast a magnifying glass emoji, followed by an image of keys. Or, for something more substantial, to find a romantic partner it is recommended that you send a series of love heart emojis, interspersed with images that represent the personality traits you find most attractive.

Emoji magic might seem like complete nonsense, but experts claim that weirdness is actually part of their power. “After all,” as one Californian witch explained to Vice magazine, “being silly and strange is part of being a witch.”^[4]

8 Black Magic Healers On Instagram

The black magic renaissance is taking root across the globe. In recent years, the West African customs known as juju have seen a huge resurgence. Renowned figures like British musician J Hus have helped bring the dark arts into vogue, and some spiritualists are racking up hundreds of thousands of followers online.

West African spiritual leaders, or babalawos as they are known locally, are now taking on the role of relationship therapists. Through stylish Instagram accounts, customers now have access to all kinds of black magic artifacts. An eligible young woman, for example, might splash out on herbal medicine, hoping it might help her attract a wealthy lover or two. On the other hand, a jilted wife with an unfaithful partner might find herself in need of a blue eye bracelet to bring her husband back home.

As the popularity of juju grows, its ethics are increasingly called into question. Skeptics doubt the morality of using ritual magic to manipulate a partner. In 2019, one woman was lambasted online after she admitted to sneaking some of her menstrual blood into her lover’s meals. Nonetheless, regardless of its ethics, the juju revival lives on.^[5]

7 Romania’s Supernatural Revolution

In areas of Eastern Europe, sorceresses and healers are highly revered. Girls are brought up from a young age to be in tune with the supernatural, their mothers passing down ancient rituals and spiritual customs. But in Romania, some of these young women are breaking with tradition. A new generation of witches – or vrajitoare – have discovered that the internet gives them access to a much wider audience of clients, and the potential to make a lot more money.

The vrajitoare’s internet success, however, has not gone unnoticed. Over the last decade, the Romanian government has brought in tighter regulations on online magical activity. In 2011, then-president Basescu made the historic decision to introduce an income tax for witchcraft. The new tax split opinions among witches. Some embraced the decision, believing it would cement the vrajitoare as respectable businesswomen in Romanian society. Others, it was reported, stomped up to the banks of the Danube and starting hurling poisonous mandrake into the river.^[6]

6 School Of Black Magic

Occultists are people of tradition. Magic and the dark arts are passed down through the ages, generation to generation, the old educating the young. Previously if a budding occultist wanted to study techniques for Chinese divination or astral projection they would need to seek out an expert in the dark arts. But now, you can learn almost all of it from the comfort of your computer, courtesy of an eccentric magician called Jason Louv.

Louv’s career path is an interesting one to say the least. Throughout his life he has helped develop artificial intelligence at Google, worked on Buzz Aldrin’s project to colonize Mars, and written a number of books with the late Genesis P-Orridge of Throbbing Gristle. Now he dedicates his time to running the only online school of the dark arts: magick.me. At Louv’s school, students can learn all manner of mystic subjects, from neuro-linguistic programming to psychic protection. He even teaches pupils how to meditate like Aleister Crowley – the English occultist known for being “the wickedest man in the world.”^[7]

10 Unsolved Murders With Strange Links To The Occult

5 TikTok Witches Curse The Moon

TikTok might seem like an endless blur of novelty dance crazes and cringe worthy lip-syncing, but the video app has a strange occult underbelly. The social media app is home to a vast network of magical practitioners, astrologers and niche spiritualists, all of whom exist online in relative harmony. Or at least that was the case, until summer 2020 when it emerged that a small group of amateur witches had tried to place a curse on the moon. Then people started to lose their minds.

Of course, as if it even needed pointing out, their actions had no effect on the moon. All of the celestial bodies came out of this completely unscathed. But, for people who believe in the existence of magic, the moon is a sanctified object. To even attempt to place a curse on it is seen as grossly offensive, and when the news came out people were understandably outraged.^[8]

4 Haunted Items For Sale On eBay

Hundreds of years ago, if two dark magicians wanted to trade haunted items they might do so at a discrete midnight rendezvous. Under the cover of darkness, far for the prying eyes of any lynch mobs or witchfinder generals, the occultists would go about their shadowy business. These days, the buying and selling of macabre trinkets is much less clandestine. Fancy treating yourself to a haunted figurine, or maybe a possessed marionette? No bother, just look on eBay.

The e-commerce site might seem fairly innocuous, but beneath the surface lies an entire industry dedicated to the sale of haunted items, predominantly dolls. For the right price you might be able to bag yourself Polly, a wide-eyed figurine who is apparently able to mess with the temperature of the room. Or perhaps Charles, a woolly-haired clown, who is said to be fond of banging doors and letting out the occasional howl. These paranormal collectibles retail at anywhere from a few tens of dollars to the best part of $7,000. The suppliers, however, insist they have no interest in profit; their only aim is to help the spirits inside the dolls find peace.^[9]

3 Coven Meetings On Zoom

Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble. The archetypal witches’ coven is the one set out by William Shakespeare in his classic 17th century play Macbeth. Lurking malevolently in the shadows, the weird sisters conjure up all manner of twister incantations to wreak havoc over the Scottish King and his associates. But imagine the Bard were born four hundred years later, and decided to write his play in the year 2020. Under quarantine his witches would meet, not in thunder, lightning, or in rain, but sat in front of a laptop screen conversing over Zoom.

It sounds ridiculous, but the covid-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of modern life, and ritual magic is no exception. Witches from across the world have been forced to stop convening face-to-face and take their meetings online. But the covens are using the time productively, teaching each other to read tarot cards, practicing occult writing, and sharing readings from books and scriptures, all via the power of online video conferencing. In fact, when one shop in Michigan decided to celebrate the Spring Equinox on Facebook Live, they received a record turnout, with some 4,000 people choosing to participate.^[10]

2 WitchBlr

The online dark arts boom has attracted people from all walks of life, and that includes multi-platinum musicians. In 2017, Lana Del Rey revealed herself to be “a bit of a mystic at heart” and announced her intentions to place a curse on Donald Trump. Del Rey’s proclamation was met with rapturous enthusiasm, especially on Tumblr, where occult practices have been flourishing over the last few years.

Tumblr’s witchcraft community – or WitchBlr as they describe themselves – is a thriving subculture. Across the site, wannabe mystics can learn a vast range of occult traditions, from crystals and candles to curses and palm reading. WitchBlr is a highly-stylized mix of cultural teachings, discussions, and wholesome means. Now, with the endorsement of “pagan pop star” Lana Del Rey, these young enthusiastic occultists hope their community will reach an even wider audience in years to come.^[11]

1 Church of Kek

As seen earlier in this article, witchcraft and sorcery have found huge popularity among the Biden-supporting liberals of the United States. But the Democrats are not the only ones who are now enamored with the supernatural. The dark arts renaissance is gripping people across the political spectrum, from the anti-capitalists of the far-left to the internet-loving alt-right.

In fact, many of the alt-right have begun to create their own quasi-religion, a Pepe The Frog-inspired craze known as the Cult Of Kek. Although the Cult Of Kek is undeniably a child of the internet, its roots stretch back to ancient Egypt. In the age of pyramids and sphinxes, people believed in a mischievous deity known as Kek, who ripped through the country causing mayhem and had the head of a frog.

For the Pepe-obsessed alt-right, a god that combines both mischief and frogs seemed too perfect to resist. Hence the Cult Of Kek was born, the semi-ironic online movement whose power is said to lie in the strength of meme magic. Followers of the cult, which one member described as “very funny and at the same time very serious”, are said to use trolling as a form of incantation. Back in 2016, Kek-followers inundated their social media feeds with endless Donald Trump Pepe memes in an attempt to sway the US elections.

“By saturating the web with these images of Pepe, they were trying to somehow make reality reflect the net,” explained Gary Lachman, an expert in modern mysticism. “It wouldn’t be the first time that extreme right conservative groups have employed the supernatural. The Nazis did exactly that. Creating a narrative and associated belief system has always been used as propaganda.”^[12]

10 Modern Attempts To Police The Occult

Forget about Kylie Jenner, Selena Gomez, and Beyonce—dog influencers are taking over the Instagram spotlight. Just like big celebrities, the dogs of Instagram maintain their wealth and elite status through sponsorships, event appearances, modeling, and more.

It starts with a brand approaching the owner to form a partnership. Once a dog’s account reaches one million followers, the owner should expect a payout of up to $16,000 per post. According to Brittany Hennessy, senior director of influencer strategy at Hearst Digital Media, the average rate for a human influencer with over a million followers sits at a mere $7,500.

Ready to quit your day job yet?

Stay tuned, we’ve only scratched the surface of this modern-day phenomenon. With the Internet and social media culture nowadays, the possibilities in this field are endless. Here are the top 10 dogs on social media that make more money than doctors.

10 Weird Facts About Dogs

10 @lacorgi

According to this corgi’s page, he’s a “professional butt model” based in Los Angeles. His strengths include eating cheese, playing dead, and teleportation. His weakness is his extremely short legs.

Perusing his profile, you’ll find him frolicking in the sand, cruising in a mini convertible, playing the piano, and managing his bank account like the financially responsible dog that he is. My personal favorite: his take on an episode of Law & Order which tragically ends in his imprisonment. The orange jumpsuit was cute, though.^[1]

9 @maggielovesorbit

This dynamic duo consists of two Boston terrier sisters who “believe in making every moment count.” They are not only the stars of their account on Instagram but also have a website that features their weekly health and wellness blog.

Additionally, the dogs are Amazon affiliates, meaning they have a page on Amazon where you can purchase their favorite products. They receive a portion of the profits. Plus, these terriers are available for dog modeling.^[2]

8 @tuckerbudzyn

Do you follow this golden retriever on TikTok?

That’s right, Instagram isn’t the only platform on which this dog is famous. Tucker even has an account on Reddit. Upon further investigation, some of his favorite activities include eating raw beef, pretending to be a lion, and “sliding into your DMs.”

Tucker is most famous for videos of his owner blowing a powerful air hose at him, causing his long hair to flow in the wind while music plays. It’s only a matter of time before Pantene recruits him to be in one of their commercials. With over 12 million combined followers, this retriever isn’t afraid to use his all-natural gourmet meals to flex on you.^[3]

7 @tunameltsmyheart

Tuna the chiweenie proves to be a positive role model for dogs and humans alike. Despite his facial deformity, he spreads “joy & laughter” to every one of his two million followers.

His Instagram profile features one of his seemingly psychotic episodes in which he runs in circles and lunges at his owner, trying to grab a sloth toy. He is also seen wearing a homemade leaf helmet, listening to John Legend, and eating tortilla chips in honor of “National Tortilla Chip Day.”

If you’d like to accompany him on his journey around the world, you can follow his second account, @thetravelingtuna. And if that’s not enough, follow his third account, @moretuna, which focuses on his caring, philanthropic side.^[4]

6 @tecuaniventura

We have no idea how to pronounce this bulldog’s name, but we do know that he can rock any outfit on the planet. From cowboy to ballerina to Chewbacca from Star Wars, this dog has a bigger salary than you and a bigger wardrobe.

Does it have 50 different personalities or just enjoy fashion a little too much? Unfortunately, we’ll never know. Tecuani appears to speak Russian. According to Google Translate, his bio tells us that he is a “bulldog blogger [who] dreams to lose weight.”^[5]

10 Extraordinary Dogs That Saved Lives

5 @jiffpom

Feel free to text this dog at 310-438-5114. With a whopping 10 million followers on Instagram alone, he’d better be on an unlimited phone plan. His most recent video shows him dancing to a song featuring the popular rapper Nicki Minaj. One characteristic that sets this dog apart is his excessive fluffiness. His enormous Afro makes him an icon.

Unlike his counterparts, Jiff is a dog of few words. Many of his captions consist of just emojis. When you have a face that cute, you must not need all the bells and whistles.^[6]

4 @marniethedog

Let us have a moment of silence for this next dog. Marnie, who passed away “painlessly & peacefully” in March 2020, has nearly two million loyal Instagram followers. On her profile, you can view her highlight reels titled “R.I.P.” and “R.I.P. #2.”

She lived a long, eventful life and was known for her floppy tongue that hung uncontrollably out of her mouth. Scrolling through her pictures, you may notice pop artist Demi Lovato, tongue out, posed with Marnie.^[7]

3 @bronsonthebully

The best thing about this dog is his COVID-19 relief fundraiser. It’s good to know that he’s doing his part to flatten the curve. His favorite foods are carrots and watermelon, and his theme song is “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus.

Bronson’s bio describes him as a “cuddly, loving, goofy sack of potatoes!” Whether he’s a potato or a bulldog, catch him this summer at PETCON 2020 in Chicago. Yes, PETCON is a real thing where certain pets are paid to make appearances.

Along with many others, this influencer is managed by The Dog Agency, a New York City company that represents popular pet figures around the globe. The Dog Agency offers their connections with prominent news outlets and media platforms to cater to pet influencers and facilitate their growth.^[8]

2 @itsdougthepug

This pug influencer can be seen with over 30 celebrities including Katy Perry, Amy Schumer, Michael Strahan, Shakira, and the cast of Stranger Things. Products from Doug’s clothing line are available on his website or at Claire’s. Complement your pug sweatshirt with Doug the Pug Skechers, or pick up Doug’s book at The Scholastic Store.

What’s that song on the radio? Oh, that was Doug’s song, “Song for My Dog,” streaming from Spotify.

According to his Instagram bio, Doug is the “King of Pop Culture” and a “People’s Choice Award Winner.” Although it sounds a little suspicious, he did, in fact, win the People’s Choice Award for Animal Star of 2019. Many animals were nominated, but Doug reigned supreme. His acceptance speech was heartfelt.^[9]

1 @griffinfrenchie

These may not be the most popular pups on Instagram, but they’re number one when it comes to dog autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR). French bulldogs Griffin and Haru specialize in snorting and smacking their lips loudly into microphones for their viewers’ listening pleasure.

On their YouTube channel, they have food reviews in which fans can gauge how much the dogs enjoyed the meal by the intensity and volume of their snorting noises. They also partake in “mukbang.” According to Urban Dictionary, mukbang is a trend that involves “eating copious amounts of food” on camera for “entertainment purposes.”

So, put on your headphones, sit back, and relax while you listen to two French bulldogs scarf down an entire rotisserie chicken.^[10]

Top 10 Fascinating Facts About The Mind Of A Dog

Viral social media trends are usually harmless stuff like dancing or cats doing something specific and hilarious, though they can easily get out of hand if left unchecked. There have been quite a few bizarre – and sometimes downright dangerous – trends that went popular on websites like YouTube or TikTok in the past few years. Some of them – like the infamous Salt and Ice Challenge – even caused quite a few real-life injuries, forcing local authorities and social media networks to intervene and restrict them until they died down. 

10. 100 Layers Challenge

While not as dangerous as some of the other trends on this list, the 100 Layers Challenge was still a bizarre and pointless trend that managed to gain viral recognition. As the name suggests, it involved applying 100 layers of any product, usually makeup or clothing, and sharing it online. The challenge was first started by a beauty vlogger back in 2016, when she uploaded a video of applying 116 coats of nail paint to her YouTube channel. 

Despite its relatively-harmless nature, the 100 Layers Challenge became a hugely-popular social media trend, with videos attempting it garnering millions of impressions overnight. It was particularly popular among beauty enthusiasts and social media influencers, as everyone raced to see how far they could take the concept. The experiments included traditional 100-layer products like mascara, lipstick, foundation, and various types of clothes, while others went for the more unconventional options like face masks and hair extensions.

9. Halo Brows

Halo brows were largely an Instagram trend that became popular some time in 2018, spreading to other networks like TikTok and YouTube in a short span of time. Also called reverse unibrows, it involves creating a rounded brow shape that appears to be connected above the bridge of the nose with a variety of makeup techniques, creating a halo-like effect around the forehead. 

According to Cosmopolitan, the idea first showed up in an Instagram post by a 16-year old Britisher called Hannah Lyne, which inspired other people to try out their own halo brow designs and get the trend going. When it reached its peak in 2019, makeup artists and influencers across the Internet were experimenting with it, turning it into one of the most popular social media trends of the time. 

8. Devious Licks

According to Urban Dictionary, a lick is a ‘successful type of theft which results in an acceptable, impressive and rewarding payday for the protagonist’. Some time in September 2021, students in schools across America took to filming themselves stealing or vandalizing school property, and then posting the videos on social media with the hashtag #deviouslicks. While it started on TikTok, the phenomenon soon spread to other platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

It mostly gained popularity due to the shock factor of the videos, which showed students stealing everything from soap dispensers to fire extinguishers from school premises. As it grew, however, #deviouslicks got a lot more extreme, with reports of students stealing things like entire classroom doors and causing thousands of dollars in damage. While it was eventually restricted by social media networks and died down, Devious Licks – also called Diabolical Licks or Dastardly Licks – led to thousands of dollars in damages across the United States. 

7. Fire Challenge

The Fire Challenge was a TikTok trend that first gained popular attention in 2014, when a slew of accidents left many of its participants severely burned and injured. At its most basic, it involved people dousing themselves with various flammable substances and setting themselves on fire in different ways. The challenge quickly gained niche popularity on platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, though it really went mainstream when a 15-year-old from Kentucky suffered high degree burns after attempting it, followed by numerous other cases of severe injury and hospitalization. 

The Fire Challenge received backlash from health officials, disaster experts, and parents, as well as widespread media coverage from major news outlets across America. Despite that, it had become a viral sensation by 2015, with thousands of videos and social media posts featuring people attempting the dangerous stunt. Thankfully, the challenge was eventually banned by social media networks like TikTok and Facebook. 

6. Condom Snorting

Snorting condoms as a sport may date back to at least 2007, when a video featuring the act was first uploaded to YouTube. However, the trend gained widespread attention only in 2018, after a video of a teenager doing it went viral on social media. Like it sounds, it involves people inhaling a condom through one nostril and, hopefully, pulling it out from the mouth. Like other incredibly-dangerous, possibly-life-threatening trends that have gone popular in the past, condom snorting quickly spread on social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, with mostly teenagers attempting the challenge and sharing videos online.

As you’d expect, condom snorting in any way could be really dangerous and lead to serious health problems. The condom might get lodged in the nasal cavity or throat, leading to choking, suffocation, and respiratory problems. In addition, the latex material can cause irritation and allergic reactions, leading to infections and other complications. 

5. Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge

Some time in 2015, people on social media decided that they’d try to recreate Kylie Jenner’s lips as accurately as they could, sparking off a trend we now know as the Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge. Of course, as one can’t just change the kind of lips they have, it involved many resorting to methods like using a shot glass or other homemade suction devices to create a vacuum around their lips, resulting in swollen, plump-looking lips. 

The challenge quickly went viral, as everyone shared their own versions of Kylie Jenner’s lips across Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. While it started out as a relatively-harmless trend, many doctors and other medical experts warned against attempting it, as it can potentially lead to bruising, broken blood vessels, and, in some cases, permanent scarring. In addition, the increased blood flow due to the vacuum could also cause persistent swelling and pain lasting for several days.

4. Salt And Ice Challenge

The Salt and Ice Challenge was another dangerous-yet-popular challenge that went viral, surfacing some time in 2017 on video-based networks like YouTube and TikTok. The idea was simple – put some salt on your skin and press an ice cube on the area. The overall goal was to endure the burning and freezing sensations for as long as possible and sharing the results with other people online, as the entire thing was usually filmed and posted on social media.

It soon became popular among teenagers and young adults online, as the videos quickly spread and went viral. Of course, the trend led to many real-life injuries, as putting salt and ice on your skin can cause the temperature of the skin to drop rapidly, leading to tissue damage and other medical complications like frostbite and third-degree burns. Despite numerous warnings from health professionals, however, the challenge remained popular on the Internet until it was banned by some social media networks. 

3. Pimple Popping

Many dermatologists and other medical experts strongly advise against popping pimples in any way, as it tends to exacerbate a relatively-harmless and common medical problem. Still, pimple popping is a hugely-popular social media trend on websites like YouTube, as videos of the act still garner millions of views. For one example, a channel called Dr. Pimple Popper has gained more than 7.4 million subscribers since it started in 2010 (as well as spawning a reality series of the same name on TLC), making it one of the most popular topics on YouTube. 

Scientifically speaking, we have no idea why the idea is so popular among some people, as videos of popping pimples are inherently disgusting to many others. According to studies, it could be related to the differences in everyone’s inbuilt disgust mechanism, which is why some people can easily watch violent and explicit horror movies while others can’t. 

2. Hot Water Challenge

The Hot Water Challenge was a social media trend that mostly involved people pouring boiling water on themselves or other unsuspecting victims, though there were also a few notable variations, like sipping boiling hot water through a straw. The challenge first featured on news outlets in 2017, when it caused severe burns, hospitalization, and other harmful consequences for many of its participants. In one particularly tragic case, an 8-year-old girl in Florida died after drinking hot water through a straw, finally bringing popular attention to the dangerous trend. 

Like many other trends on this list, the Hot Water challenge became increasingly popular among younger people. Videos across YouTube featured children and younger teens attempting the stunt, resulting in a visit to the hospital for many of them. The phenomenon eventually died down due to the amount of pushback by parents and medical experts, though not before causing second and third-degree burns for many of its victims. 

1. Eyeball Tattoos

The idea of tattoos on eyeballs might make a few people uneasy, though in the tattoo and general body-modification community, it’s not as far-fetched as it might sound. Eyeball tattoos gained traction some time in 2017, when a few enthusiasts online started tattooing their eyeballs in various styles and sharing the techniques online. As one would expect, it involved injecting ink directly into the white of the eye, potentially causing permanent damage to the delicate tissues of the eye and other long-term medical issues.

Despite all that, the trend gained popularity in tattoo and other niche communities on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Since it became popular, the online phenomenon has been widely criticized by medical experts, who continue to warn of the potential dangers of the procedure. If done incorrectly, eye tattoos can cause severe and permanent damage to the eye, as well as other issues like infections.

Over the past 25 years, social media has changed the world as we know it—for better and for worse. The various social media platforms have helped us stay in contact with friends and family members over thousands of miles, reconnected those we have fallen out of contact with, and provided a whole new means of communication.

The toxic side of social media is something with which I’m sure you are all more than familiar. Some of us choose to weather the storm and try to fight through the digital animosity. Plenty more are opting out and have decided to log out of social media altogether.

But for some people, the rise of these platforms has been nothing but a waking nightmare. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, you name it. This list recounts ten awful tales that all revolve in some way around social media, including accidental deaths, abuse, fraud, data collection, and a strange tale involving a false Banksy allegation.

Related: Top 10 Terrible Deaths Connected To Social Media

10 TikTok Video Turns Deadly for Teenager

Experts have warned time and time again about the extreme lengths young people will go to for attention online. Sadly for one 15-year-old in Mexico, she paid the cost with her own life.

Yazmin Esmeralda discovered a submachine gun stashed in a closet at her grandmother’s house. She asked her younger brother to film her with the gun, hoping it would look good on TikTok. But tragically, she shot herself in a freak accident while making the video. Reporters say she died immediately.

The gun that took Esmeralda’s life, a 9mm Uzi, was once used by the Mexican army. But the military has now replaced that gun with a safer model. The army cited its erratic tendency to fire as one of the reasons for the decision.

Experts looking into the case believe it was the country’s long-standing drug culture that attracted Esmeralda to the weapon. María Teresa Guerra Ochoa, a state official in Sinaloa, explained how many in Mexican society idolize traffickers and gangsters. “Many of them come from poverty and so they’re seen as symbols of success,” she told the press.^[1]

9 Welsh Councilor Resigns over Surreal Banksy Claims

Banksy. The iconic British street artist is something of a cultural phenomenon, creating eye-catching works that sell for millions at auction. His mystique is all part of the allure. Although there have been many rumors over the years, nobody knows for sure Banksy’s identity to this day.

But in 2022, strange whispers began to spread online, pointing the finger at an unknown council member from a small town in Southwest Wales. It didn’t take long for the bizarre claim to go viral, and soon William Gannon—a 58-year-old councilor for Pembroke Dock—found himself at the center of a full-blown conspiracy claiming that he was Banksy. Things grew to the point that he received a deluge of phone calls and Facebook messages asking about his connections to the elusive star. Gannon described the experience as like “living in a Kafka novel.”

But it appears that people don’t realize when a joke has gone far enough. The attention became so huge that Gannon had to resign from his role as a councilor. He now plans to clear his name by handing out “I Am NOT Banksy” badges to the people of Pembroke Dock.^[2]

8 Influencer Mobbed and Assaulted in Pakistan Park

The name Ayesha Akram might not mean much to many of the people reading this, but in Pakistan, she’s something of a social media star. In August 2021, she and a group of friends traveled to the Minar-e-Pakistan monument in Lahore to record people celebrating the country’s Independence Day.

But as they were filming in Iqbal Park, hundreds of men began swarming around them. At first, they only took selfies, but the mob soon turned violent. As Akram later described to reporters, she was completely surrounded by people who groped her and tore away her clothes, leaving the influencer with no room to escape. Those who tried to intervene found themselves blocked off by the sheer enormity of the crowd. In total, the attack is reported to have lasted around two and a half hours, with Akram struggling to breathe at points.

The incident drew criticism from many Pakistani officials and public figures. “The full might of the Govt will come down upon those involved in the horrendous Lahore incident,” tweeted Hashim Jawan Bakht, Punjab Minister of Finance. “Society is judged by its treatment of women and the freedom they have. This is not what Pakistan stands for.”^[3]

7 Facebook’s Extremist Content Problem

The debate around what should and should not be permitted on social media rages on. Mark Zuckerberg and others face the challenge of having to crack down on genuine hate speech without impeding people’s freedom of expression.

But many feel that Facebook is far too lenient on what they perceive to be grossly harmful content. One particularly egregious example is Ethiopia and the online vigilantes who have used the platform to call for the massacre of ethnic groups. The previous employee turned whistleblower Frances Haugen accused the company of “literally fanning ethnic violence,” with one Ethiopian media official commenting that Facebook is “standing by and watching the country fall apart.”

A recent investigation by The Observer and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism found that posts, often untrue, on social media inflame the country’s ever-worsening conflict. Thousands of people have died in the Tigray region since the conflict began in November 2020. Many in the region have reported a direct link between online hate speech and the killing of their relatives.^[4]

6 Allegedly Fraudulent Fitness Plan

In the world of fitness influencers, Brittany Dawn Davis holds a certain amount of clout. The U.S. social media star boasts over a million followers across her many platforms, on which she sells personalized workout and nutrition plans.

Or at least, she claims to sell personalized plans.

The fitness schedules arrived on time, but after speaking to each other, Davis’s followers learned that these supposedly customized plans were near identical. Customers paid $92 to $300 for an experience that they were told included personal face-time with the influencer. This never materialized.

Davis did apologize to her followers in a YouTube video, although the clip has since been deleted. However, many of her customers are still waiting to be refunded. Some were offered partial-to-full refunds, but only on the condition that they signed non-disclosure agreements. In February 2022, the state of Texas filed a lawsuit against Davis for “deceptive trade practices” online. They seek damages from $250,000 up to $1 million.

Davis continues to work as an influencer but has shifted to posting about religion and wellness. She now charges clients $125 for a visit to her chain of female-centered Christian retreats.^[5]

5 Batman Cosplay Ends in Manslaughter Charge

TikTok star Mary Anne Oliver-Snow, better known online as yandere.freak, probably never imagined that a night of drinks would end with her being charged with manslaughter. In January 2021, she met up with friends in Houston, Texas, for an evening of cosplay and revelry. The group was all dressed as characters from Batman, watching Gotham, and was, as police reported, “drunk, laughing, messing around.”

At some point in the night, the TikTokker produced a handgun, showing her drinking buddies how it resembled the one carried by the Penguin. She later claimed that her ex-boyfriend had left the weapon with her and that she had no idea it was loaded. Helen Rose Hastings, a friend she had known since high school, was joking around with Oliver-Snow, saying, “Ooooh, shoot me.” She then aimed the firearm at Hastings and pulled the trigger. Tragically, the gun fired, and Hastings lost her life.

At the time, the victim had been a student at Oberlin College in Ohio, in her first year. Friends told the school paper how they would remember Hastings for her “laughter, enthusiasm, and compassion.”^[6]

4 Legal Woes from Children’s Data Collection

The video-sharing app TikTok has surged in popularity over the past few years, amassing a huge global base of users. Despite an age restriction of 13, a significant portion of accounts are owned by children. A 2020 report in the UK found that 42% of eight to 12-year-olds used the app, a figure which experts claim raises serious questions regarding safeguarding and data collection.

The issue has become such a worry that in 2021, Anne Longfield, former children’s commissioner for England, began a landmark case against the app. Longfield told the high court that she believes TikTok is violating UK and EU children’s data protection law, harvesting data from millions of children without legal consent, proper warning, and transparency. She believes that ByteDance, the Chinese tech company behind TikTok, may have breached the privacy of 3.5 million children in the UK alone.

This isn’t the first time ByteDance has found itself in hot water over children’s data collection. In 2020, U.S. officials found the firm guilty of illegally collecting the personal data of children under 13. They were fined a record $5.7 million (£4.2 million).^[7]

3 Fentanyl in Counterfeit Drugs

In recent years, narcotics experts have warned about the worrying trend of fake drugs being sold on social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram. The number of fatalities among young people due to fentanyl in pills is rising at a staggering rate.

High schoolers and college-age youths are buying what they believe to be recreational drugs online. But many of these dodgy Xanax and Percocet-type pills are filled with fentanyl, and in many cases, the repercussions have been lethal.

Fentanyl is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, which is why the synthetic substitute is often used in knockoff pills. But the potency of fentanyl is 100 times higher than heroin, and the strength of the counterfeit drugs tends to vary wildly. Analysis by the Drug Enforcement Administration found in 2021 showed that two out of every five fake pills contained a potentially deadly amount of fentanyl.^[8]

2 Online Abuse Accountability

It’s no secret that sometimes school students can absolutely detest their teachers. But what happens when they go so far as to start a campaign of online abuse?

In 2021, Britain’s Department for Education announced they were in talks with TikTok after several complaints from school principals about offensive and humiliating accounts aimed at teachers. They told reporters of new laws being brought in against harmful content to usher in “a new era of accountability for these social media companies.”

Some schools have even gone so far as to threaten to involve the police. Several educational establishments have written to parents, informing them that if their child is caught with an abusive account, they could be kicked out of school.^[9]

1 Fake School Shooter Accounts

On May 24, 2022, an 18-year-old man entered Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and opened fire. The chilling attack left 21 people dead—19 children and two teachers.

In the aftermath of this appalling bloodshed, something strangely chilling happened on social media. Across several platforms, especially Instagram and TikTok, people began setting up fake accounts claiming to be the gunman. They took images from his social media accounts, which have now been removed, and made it look as if they were the mass murderer. The day after the shooting, reporters found over half a dozen imitation accounts on Instagram and a similar number on TikTok.

This isn’t the first time social media users have tried to mimic a mass killer. In 2018, after a former student killed 17 people at a high school in Parkland, Florida, several fake profiles appeared on Instagram, with some reposting images from the shooter’s account. A similar thing happened in December 2021 when four students were killed in Michigan. One of the dummy accounts was even looking to make money from the event, offering to promote other users’ accounts for a small fee.^[10]