List of All Articles with Tag 'viral'

It’s been nearly a month since the Titan submarine tragically imploded on its descent down to the wreck of the Titanic, but social media’s morbid fascination with the event does not seem to have faded. A video outlining how the submersible imploded has gone viral, wracking up more than 10 million views since it was posted on YouTube at the start of July. The explainer goes into detail about how implosions differ from explosions, and what the disaster would have looked like. Titan began its journey towards the wreck of the cruise liner on June 18. Shortly after, it lost contact with people on the surface. The US Coast Guard later revealed the vessel had suffered a “catastrophic implosion”, after deep-sea robots found debris on 22 June. Officials later said “presumed human remains” were recovered from the site. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The video simulating the implosion was posted by AiTelly, an account which specialises in “3D engineering animations”. The narrator explains that in the Titan’s case, the implosion was caused by “high hydro-static pressure of the surrounding water, which happened within a fraction of a millisecond”. “At the depth the Titanic rests, there is around 5,600 pounds-per-square inch of pressure. That’s almost 400 times the pressure we experience on the surface. “As the submersible is deep in the ocean it experiences the force on its surface due to the water pressure. When this force becomes larger than the force [the] hull can withstand, the vessel implodes violently.” The animation shows the submersible suddenly bucking under the pressure, noting that the debris was found just 1,600 feet from the Titanic wreck, in five different parts. It said that a possible design flaw with the Titan was that it used “mostly carbon fibres, which have the advantage of being lighter than titanium or steel”. However, it added: “The properties of carbon fibres for deep sea applications are however not that well understood. It can crack and break suddenly.” The victims were Hamish Harding, 58, Shahzada Dawood, 48, and his son Suleman Dawood, 19, Paul-Henri Nargeolet, 77, and Stockton Rush, 61. Social media users responded to the video in their droves. One person said: “Who in their right mind would consider going into one of those things? No matter how safe, you have to be pretty brave.” Another person said: “The whole world is on a morbid curiosity kick with this sub.” One commenter added: “The moments before the OceanGate imploded must’ve been a really scary and harrowing experience for the 5 people involved.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

A baffling clip of a woman on a TikTok live stream licking the air and saying “Ice cream so good” while using a straightener to pop single kernels of popcorn has gone viral and people are confused. By now, we all know the internet is filled with weird and wonderful things, but sometimes there are viral videos that are particularly odd and require an explanation. One such video includes a TikTok live video made by @pinkydollreal, who appears to be a 19-year-old Montreal-based user. In it, she appeared to be repeating words like, “yes, yes, yes”, “slay” and “ice cream so good”, while also receiving payments, or “gifts”, from users watching in real-time. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The bizarre clip was shared on Twitter along with the caption, “Any time I accidentally happen upon a TikTok live, I feel like I am watching the world end” and was viewed millions of times, before the person deleted it, explaining they didn’t want @pinkydollreal to receive hate. But, other people have also been sharing the TikToker's content, with one person calling it the “weirdest thing I’ve seen [on TikTok] by far”. What is @pinkydollreal’s content and why does it appear “weird”? The content that TikToker is producing is part of a genre called NPC, or non-playable character. The reference comes from video games and refers to characters that feature but are unable to be controlled by the person playing the game. The niche genre on TikTok sees users like @pinkydollreal imitating an NPC by repeating many of the same phrases and movements in a way that appears programmed and looped. Their behaviour has set patterns and the person rarely deviates from a handful of sayings or actions to imitate a programmed character. Some people pay NPC TikTokers because the content can be considered a fetish. While the content is not overtly sexual, with no nudity or sexual langue, some who are attracted to certain things may find it arousing. Instagram sexual educator Emerson Karsh explained to InsideHook: “A fetish is a little bit more specialized. It’s attraction or arousal or sexual stimulation to certain stimuli, especially if it’s non-sexual. So, like non-sexual body parts, or inanimate objects or non-sexual situations.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

A couple has gone viral after branding their neighbour a “cat pervert” because their cat likes to visit his garden. As everyone knows, controlling cats is almost an impossible task as the very independent animals like to roam wherever they choose. But, one angry neighbour in a hilarious viral clip was left upset after his neighbour didn’t tell his cat to go home. The bizarre clip was posted on Twitter by the account Detect Clips and showed an angry neighbour arguing with another over his cat. The cat’s owner claimed: “You are keeping it in your yard, it’s our cat.” Meanwhile, the neighbour who was filming themselves being yelled at, replied: “I’m not even in my yard right now. What am I doing? The gate’s open.” The owner continued, telling the neighbour he should tell the cat to go back home. He said: “If you would go in your yard and say, ‘Mercury, go home, don’t come in our yard anymore.’” The neighbour holding the camera replied: “She will not listen. She’s a cat, she doesn’t speak English.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The angry cat owner threatened to call the police department and branded his neighbour a “cat pervert” several times over. He also accused him of “harbouring our cat”. The clip has been viewed 17 million times and made quite an impression online. “This video has everything — drama, comedy, great lines: ‘cat pervert,’ ‘you're harboring my cat’ 10/10,” one viewer assessed. Another wrote: “CAT PERVERT! ‘Send my cat home’ is amazing. Has this man ever met a cat?” “Cat pervert is the funniest thing I’ve ever heard someone be called,” one Twitter user else said. Someone else argued: “I feel so bad for the video taker because it’s like... have you met cats?? There's not one thing in this world you can do when a cat decides you're their friend.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

The internet's obsession with McDonald's Grimace shake continues – and now an executive has spoken out about the TikTok trend. For those who still don't understand what's going on but have seen the phrase everywhere, McDonald's dropped a new limited-edition purple milkshake to celebrate the 52nd birthday of the famous character's birthday. TikTok users were immediately hooked on the drink before turning it into a bizarre trend. It sees people creating content showing them drinking the shake and pretending to be poisoned to death with a decorative crime scene around them. While the trend is bizarre, the hashtag #grimaceshake has racked up a staggering 142 million views on the platform and continues to grow. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter @kale1ay Bro pls domt get the grimace shake #viral #meme #grimaceshake #grimaceshakemeal #grimaceshakememe #grimacememe #mcdonadlsmeme #skit Now, McDonald's marketing director Guillaume Huin has stepped into the chat, crediting the original TikTok creator Austin Frazier for his upload. In a Linkedin post, Huin said the company were initially not going to speak about the trend, but after "hours of watching, reading the comments, trying to learn and genuinely understand helped us see what this was about," he saw the "brilliant creativity, unfiltered fun, peak absurdist gen z humor, just the way a new generation of creators and consumers play with brands." He said that some of the content had even left him "smile silently in admiration and wonder." Huin then shared how behind the scenes, the team "discussed what was the right thing to do about the trend." He continued, "saying nothing felt disconnected, encouraging it felt self-serving, so we just decided to show our fans that we see them and their creativity in a sweet, candid and genuine way, as grimace would." The Grimace shake will be available to buy in the US until 29 July. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Colleen Ballinger’s legal team told Pop Crave that her apology song was not uploaded to iTunes and Apple Music by her or her team after social media continued to criticise the YouTube star. The video has now been removed from both iTunes and Apple Music. On Tuesday (July 11) Ethan Klein, host of the H3 Podcast, tweeted that Ballinger’s apology song had been uploaded to CD Baby under the name Toxic Gossip Train. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter CD Baby is a website that allows people to monetise their music by independently uploading their songs to platforms like YouTube. Klein shared that he had received a copyright claim due to using less than a minute of the song in his video. Shortly after, many realised that the song had also been uploaded to Ballinger’s official profile on iTunes and Apple Music. The 10-minute ukulele song was being sold for $10. The initial discovery sparked further outrage on Twitter. Adam McIntyre who alleges he was groomed and manipulated by Ballinger called her a “f***ing joke”. McIntyre also took the opportunity to point out the irony in the moment, in her song Ballinger had accused the public of ‘monetising’ her demise. Other users were shocked at the idea of Ballinger copyrighting those who featured the apology in videos talking about the subject, as well as charging $10 for the song on iTunes: After Pop Crave updated the story, Klein responded saying that “she still has our podcast claimed”. Ballinger herself has not made any public comment. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

The "not real" plane passenger saga continues – and now opportunists have jumped on a very niche market by releasing merchandise. Let's recap for those living under a rock... Footage of an American Airlines passenger went viral online. It showed a woman pacing up the aisle and demanding to get off the flight. She claimed there was an imaginary passenger – or as some conspiracy theorists have described a "shapeshifter" – aboard the plane. "I’m telling you, I’m getting the f*** off, and there’s a reason why I’m getting the f*** off," she yelled as confused onlookers watched on. "And everyone can either believe it, or they can not believe it. I don’t give two f***s." "But I am telling you right now, that motherf***er back there is not real." The woman continued: "And you can sit on this plane, and you can f***ing die with them or not. I’m not going to." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The footage soon spiraled on social media, with many users speculating what actually happened. Some accused the woman of alcohol consumption, but she has not yet spoken out about the incident. Now, 'TMFINR' ("That motherf***** is not real") has become a thing. Not only has it became a viral audio on TikTok to poke fun at everyday scenarios, but it's also made its way onto a T-shirt. One Etsy seller took to Twitter to announce the release, writing: "Thank you everyone for all the memes @Kohleispresent & I collabed to make an Etsy store if you want to support us. Other people are selling it as their own merch & design (it's the internet, I expected this) but this is the original. Much love." American Airlines told Indy100: "American Airlines flight 1009, with service from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Orlando (MCO), returned to the gate due to a disruptive customer. "The flight was met at the gate by local law enforcement and the customer was removed from the flight. Safety and security are our top priorities, and we thank our customers for their understanding and our team members for their professionalism in managing a difficult situation." Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Artificial intelligence has revealed what the most conventionally attractive man looks like according to the tastes of different countries. AI technology has advanced to mind-boggling capabilities, leaving many fearful for what the future may hold if it ends up in the wrong hands. But until then, others have decided to have fun with AI and use it to decipher the peak of physical attraction in men across the globe. Midjourney is a generative artificial intelligence program and it has been used to make images featuring men mostly with large muscles and chiselled jaws, representing the “Most attractive man in a country”. The reel of photos included the most attractive men in 20 different countries including, Greece, Syria, the USA and North Korea and the results were shared on the Midjourney Reddit community. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The candidate for North Korea could be seen wearing what appears to be a military uniform and had a portrait of a leader behind him. Reddit - Dive into anything from midjourney The most attractive man in the Central African Republic had dark brown skin and chest tattoos and wore lots of beaded necklaces. Some Reddit users compared the Kazakhstani man to a “Disney adaptation villain” or a “spicy Harry Styles” as the AI version resembled some of the singer’s features such as his eyes and hair. The AI-generated American man featured shoulder-lengthed light brown and blonde hair with blue eyes, a beard and big muscles. One Redditor commented: “I like how USA is literally just Chris Hemsworth lol.” Another said: “Men of Reddit take note: to be attractive you must look concerned, sincere or intense ... ideally all three at once.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Gen Z has entered the workforce in recent years, and with that, the generation has brought its own phrases, expressions and ways of working that differ from their older predecessors. While fed up with the different jargon needed to navigate the workplace, over half of younger employees (54 per cent) admit to changing the way they speak to fit in, according to research from LinkedIn and Duolingo. But Gen Z is putting their own stamp on professional tasks, such as signing off an email where young workers are using their creativity to end their emails - and a lot of them have gone viral on TikTok. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Babbel, the online language learning platform, has gathered some of the most unusual ways Gen Z employees have decided to sign off their emails, and there is plenty of creativity on show. See if you can sort the genuine Gen Z pleasantries from the red herrings. Question 1 - Spot the culinary Gen Z sign-off: “Hasta la pasta” “Bone apple teeth” “*Chef’s kiss*” Question 2 - Pick the ultimate Gen Z regards: “Blessed Regards” “Lukewarm regards” “Mean Regards” Question 3- Which beverage related phrase is the real Gen Z way to say farewell? “Stay Hydrated, Queens” “More espresso, less depresso” “Let’s go for coffee soon” Question 4 - It’s all about alliteration. Which has actually been used as a Gen Z sign-off? “Slay, serve, survive” “alright alright alright” “Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica” Question 5- How would your Gen Z colleague wish you a happy weekend? “Speak soon - enjoy your weekend.” “Slay, serve, survive” “Have a good one!” Question 6 - The social media generation isn’t always feeling social, which of these is the real misanthropic Gen Z sign-off? “Regards.” “Don’t cross me” “Sorry, I can’t talk right now but will get back to you ASAP!” (Scroll down to find the correct answers!) Esteban Touma, Language Expert at Babbel, has noted how the "rules of the game have changed" since Gen Z has arrived, making workspaces "informal and welcoming. "Your Gen Z colleagues have grown up in an era of instant messaging, social media, and texting, which have influenced their communication style," he said. "They naturally gravitate towards more casual sign-offs as a reflection of their overall digital communication habits and a shift in language across society as a whole. The formal etiquette of the workplace has taken a step back in recent years - with a recent study by Deloitte surveying 1,500 Gen Z workers finding that the younger generation expects “more personalisation in how they want to be treated by their employer”. Informal sign-offs and even out-of-office replies now allow for self-expression - “Another day, another slay”, “Please enjoy your break from me”. Here are the answers to the questions: Question 1 - Hasta la pasta was the correct answer and was mentioned as an example of a Gen Z email sign-off in a viral TikTok by the CEO of Fox & Robin, an activewear company which claims to “hire only Gen Z." Question 2 - Lukewarm regards was the right answer, as it has been quoted as being one of Gen Z's snarky sign-offs. Question 3 - "Stay hydrated queens" is a Gen Z sign-off - The phrase 'yas queen' originated in the ballrooms of NYC by the Black trans and queer community as a way to celebrate, Gen Z has incorporated this phrase into most of their language. Meanwhile, “More espresso less depresso” is Millennial, where they often joke about the need for coffee is a common millennial trait, though one derided by Gen Z counterparts. Let’s go for coffee soon” is literal and collegial, leaving no room for confusion - it could only be a Boomer. Question 4 - There are Gen Z sign-off answer is "alright, alright, alright," and "slay serve survive" could also be used by this age group. Question 5 - "Slay, serve, survive" is the correct answer and a humorous sign-off informed by meme culture. "Have a good one!" is Millennial - an informal tone without being jovial, and Speak soon - enjoy your weekend is a boomer sign-off, more factual and formally written, as you’d expect of the letter-writing generation. Question 6 - The correct Gen Z answer is "Don't cross me," since the new generation is finding a way to get straight to the point in the workplace while maintaining some humour. For Millennials, “Sorry, I can’t talk right now but will get back to you ASAP!” sums up this generation's politeness in online communication, so you can expect to see exclamation marks and effusive apologies. Finally, Boomers are simple, and to the point, the older generation is happy to cut through the pleasantries with just a "Regards" sign-off. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Just as you thought social media platforms had all corners of the internet covered, along comes Threads, created by Facebook and Instagram owners Meta. In what has been described as a rival to Twitter, Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg has already had over 10 million people signed up in the first few hours of launching. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter For some, it’s a matter of jumping in with both feet and navigating the waters from there. Others will sit back and take a little more cautious approach. Either way, learning how to navigate the social media jungle using these few simple tips will be invaluable... Take a social media detox It’s easy to use social media compulsively and excessively. You can become so accustomed to scrolling through posts, laughing at videos and liking images that it can take over. According to data found by audience insights platform GWI, 29 per cent of people across Britain use more than five social media apps, with 54 per cent of 16-24-year-olds doing the same. “There has been a substantial surge in social media consumption over the past decade. What initially began as occasional Facebook ‘check-ins’ has now evolved into spending six to eight hours per day on various social media platforms such as TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, and now, Threads,” said Marvin Winkelmann, the managing director of AFK Digital. That’s why he says moderation is key. “I strongly advocate for individuals to not only take periodic breaks from social media to rejuvenate their wellbeing but also to consider reducing their engagement before bedtime and during meals. By doing so, we can prioritise face-to-face interactions, which hold even greater significance than merely keeping up with the seemingly idealised virtual world.” Practise the right social media etiquette Winkelmann highlights that different platforms have different niches in terms of how people generally interact. “But a rule of thumb should always be to treat other users with respect.” It’s also why Chris Hackett, the founder of Face Digital, an SEO advisory firm, believes we all need to learn the right social media etiquette, which dictates how people should behave around others online. “Always be yourself,” he said. “Whether you’re using social media for personal or professional reasons, people connect with authenticity. This doesn’t mean you should be airing out your personal details, but you don’t have to hide behind an online persona. “Be careful with what you say. It may feel like a safe space, but using social media to vent or voice controversial opinions can come back to haunt you in the future. “And don’t post anything that you wouldn’t want an employer to see. Social media is, for the most part, public. Before you fire off that tweet, imagine a potential employer reading it and what they may think.” Be careful of negativity Hackett advised against getting into arguments on social media. “There are a lot of keyboard warriors around, and there is nothing to gain by arguing with them. If you don’t like something, scroll past it.” Plus, some of the negativity on social media could have an impact on your mental health – which is why it’s important to look after yourself. “Social media has become a constant figure in everyone’s lives, to the point where it can be detrimental to our mental health. The best way to deal with negativity is to take time away from toxic online environments,” said Hackett. Winkelmann added: “It is crucial to acknowledge that social media platforms tend to accentuate negativity due to the provocative nature of negative content. People love to disagree and share their opinions online. “As a result, the algorithms used by these platforms are designed to amplify such content. It is important for individuals to remain aware of this fact, bearing in mind that much of what is observed online is often an embellished representation of reality anyway.” Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

From Donald Trump's 2016 election victory to the shocking twist at the end of Game of Thrones, it seems that The Simpsons has a knack for predicting the future - and now some believe it predicted the new social media app Threads. The cartoon series has been running for 35 years since it first took to screens in 1989 and has become a part of pop culture in the 750 episodes that have aired. During this time, The Simpsons have covered a wide selection of topics from politics to celebrities, and as a result, it has eerily managed to foretell news or events that have not happened yet. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Some recent examples include the unexpected connection between the Titanic sub and foreseeing the controversial Willow Project. Most recently, people believe the show predicted Meta's new social media platform, Threads, which is said to rival Twitter. The "evidence" that has been circulating around the internet is a photo of Homer Simpson with his ear circled as it appears to be drawn like an "@" sign, strikingly similar to the Threads logo, which is shown beside the image. "The Simpsons predicted threads?!??" Twitter user @bestinteracted asked. However, all is not what it seems since Homer's ears are drawn differently in the cartoon show, and so the image is not real, rather it has been edited to make it look like the Threads logo. Someone was quick to point this out in response. So, in conclusion - no, The Simpsons did not predict the Threads app. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Conspiracy theorist and right-wing comedian Owen Benjamin is now claiming that nuclear bombs do not exist because there is evidence of cameras filming nuclear blasts. “It’s weird that the nuclear blasts vaporised brick houses but not the old times camera recording it. It’s because nukes are fake.” Benjamin claims. “Hiroshima and Nagasaki never had any fall out radiation. The whole narrative and all the evidence is absurd.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Twitter was quick to add context through community notes saying: “the cameras were in bunkers 5 miles away from ground zero with telescopic lenses allowing for the camera’s to record the nuclear explosion.” In regards to Benjamin’s claim regarding Hiroshima and Nagasaki, they write that they “have no fallout radiation today as the atomic bombs were detonated at an altitude of about 600m.” His tweet has over 10,000 likes. Benjamin follows up his false claims by saying “there are no nuclear bombs with fallout radiation.” And that the whole world is “in on it”. He adds that people have been “tricked” saying “stop being afraid. It’s fake.” Most disagreed and pushed back against Benjamin’s claim. One user asked for his explanation for what happened in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. He replied by saying they were “bombed with conventional firebombs” and told another user that it was “just large amounts of TNT.” Others tried to explain why Benjamin was wrong: But there were some who defended and agreed with Benjamin: Benjamin also claims that the video in his tweet is of a toy model, and that those explaining how the camera was filmed from far away and protected are lying. He replied to a comment from a user saying they “learned something from the community notes”, sarcastically saying, “yeah you can record inside a house from 5 miles away in 1945.” When asked flat out by a user “are nuclear weapons real?” Benjamin replies: “No. Zero evidence they exist outside of Hollywood movies. Remember hiding under your desk? Looking back does that make sense?” This isn’t the first time Benjamin has spread conspiracy theories on Twitter, he has previously engaged in anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and Holocaust denial as well as spreading misinformation about Covid. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Tech execs tend to announce new apps, features and devices in slick promotional videos, and Instagram boss Adam Mosseri was no different when he shared a Reel announcing the launch of Meta’s Twitter rival, Threads, earlier this week – one which has since been parodied by one content creator. Just days after Elon Musk’s Twitter suffered a significant outage at the start of July - and had to implement controversial, but temporary reading limits on tweets - Mark Zuckerberg’s company started teasing its “civil”, text-based alternative ahead of it eventually being released in the UK at midnight on Thursday (7pm ET). After the launch, Mosseri released a video explainer on his own Instagram profile in which he said: “We’re hoping to bring some of what we’ve built for photos and videos on Instagram to Threads with text. “Now the idea is there’s an amazing community on Instagram, and wonderful creators, and we want to create a space where we can engage in public conversations that is friendly, and that is open.” And it’s certainly proved popular, with Zuckerberg reporting more than 10 million sign-ups to the app after seven hours of it being available to the public. But one Instagram content creator decided to create his own take on Mosseri’s Reel, with a greater focus on Threads’ similarities with Twitter. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Posing as the Instagram boss, Dan Toomey opens his parody by describing Threads as “some new s*** to waste your time on from Instagram”. “Threads is for public arguments, cyber-bullying and the occasional post from a fast-food chain that goes too far – in other words, Twitter. “Now the idea is there’s an amazing opportunity to end Twitter while it’s down, like we saw a wounded deer on the side of the road and we just jammed our thumb into the side of its neck very slowly, so we can feel the last drop of life exit its body,” he continued, before a voice can be heard off-camera saying “too far, Adam”. As Toomey’s version of Mosseri carries on talking about the supposed benefits of Threads, the necklace sported by his character starts undergoing some changes with every cut, at one point turning into a pair of scissors dangling from a chain. Toomey continued: “So we’re going to bring a lot of the good creators from Twitter over to Instagram with Threads – people like BTS stans, the kid who doxes billionaires’ planes [Jack Sweeney’s ElonJet] and millions and millions of furry porn accounts. “And we’re also looking to integrate Mastodon, which is a decentralised, social media bulls*** thing.” Toomey’s take on the latest social media platform to take up some storage space on your phone has been branded “genius” by commenters on Instagram. One wrote: “The constantly changing necklace pendants really tie this thing together.” “No one’s picked up on the El*n [sic] photo in the background yet,” noted another. A third commented: “The fact that you made like seven necklaces for this is just perfect. Never change, Adam.” And yes, Mosseri himself – the real Adam - has actually seen it, sharing it to his Instagram story and on his Threads profile, where he added: “The changing necklace pendants really got me you b******.” Wholesome. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.