List of All Articles with Tag 'viral'

YouTuber MrBeast has left people feeling sorry for a bunch of kids who thought they would win big money in one of his challenges. MrBeast, whose real name is James Steven Donaldson, is well known for his generous gestures, often posting about them on his social media. In the past, the YouTuber has given out amazing prizes like cash and cars, so when he and fellow creator, James Seo, approached two kids in a store and asked them to choose between “$1 dollar or [a] mystery gift” they happily chose the latter. The TikTok clip has been viewed over 44 million times and showed two boys ripping into the wrapped “mystery gift” box. As they opened the box, they found another smaller box inside and continued to tear them open as they got progressively smaller. As they got to the smallest box, one of the boys said: “It’s going to be like a key or something.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter @mrbeast Replying to @Blank please collab @James Seo #mrbeastpls #mystery #mysterybox But, as they unwrapped it they found a $1 dollar bill in a wooden box, meaning the whole unwrapping saga was completely pointless and cruel. While MrBeast himself remained deadpan the entire time as the kids rushed to unwrap the mystery prize, some people have been left feeling sorry for the kids while others found the whole thing amusing. One person commented: “This was so evil... would have just taken the $1 without the stress.” Another said: “The one time I actually wanna see mr beast give something good away he doesn’t.” “Bro really thought he was like get like $10,000,” another commented. Someone else said: “I genuinely laughed out loud. My favorite video ever made by @MrBeast by far.” 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 short story from 1919 becomes a code word for discontent among jobless graduates.

A woman has explained how she got the same tattoo as her son to prove a point. Writing on Reddit, the woman explained she didn't like tattoos but chose to get one as a strange parenting exercise. She wrote: "My son (19) has wanted a tattoo since he was little so I told him that was okay but to really consider whatever he got and have it be at least a little meaningful and not just do it to be 'cool'. "I told him if he got something and it had no special meaning I would get the exact same one." "I guess he thought it was an empty threat because he got a tribal armband tattoo," she continued. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter She then explained she got the same one leading her son to no longer want to "show his off" and feel cross with her. In the comments, people took her son's side. One wrote: "Getting a copy of the tattoo of your son and saying tattoos have to be meaningful/well thought about doesn’t really match. "The only thing you showed him is that you’re an asshole AND you don’t stand behind your ideals." Another said: "I'd rather have a meaningless tattoo that I like the look of than have a tattoo that permanently shows what a petty and toxic person I can be." And a third wrote: "So now you're an adult with a spite tattoo. You really owned your son with that move!" Awkward. 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 penis-enhancing drug 'Big Penis USA' has been banned in Australia after a health watchdog said they pose a "serious risk". The country’s Therapeutic Goods Administration has urged people to stop taking the drug, after finding they contained sildenafil which is prescription only. The substance found in erectile dysfunction medication "may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. People with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or heart disease are often prescribed nitrates." When consumed alongside other medications, the pills could cause "serious side effects". "Big Penis USA tablets pose a serious risk to your health and should not be taken," the TGA said in a statement on their site. They encouraged people to take any remaining pills to a local pharmacy to ensure they are disposed of safely. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter To stop any future shipments of Big Penis USA, the TGA will work with the Australian Border Force (ABF) to ensure they don't enter Australia. "The TGA will notify ABF to seize and destroy any of these products intercepted at the border," they wrote. This isn't the first time a warning has been issued about Big Penis USA. An FDA warning stated: "This notification is to inform the public of products marketed as dietary supplements or conventional foods with hidden drug ingredients and chemicals." "These products are typically promoted for sexual enhancement, weight loss, and body building and are often represented as being ‘all natural,'" they continued. "FDA is unable to test and identify all products marketed as dietary supplements that have potentially harmful hidden ingredients. Consumers should exercise caution before purchasing any product in the above categories." If you suspect any side effects to the product, the TGA has urged people to report them. Any other concerns about the product can be reported on 1800 020 653 or the TGA website. 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 prominent fitness influencer has admitted to lying about having late-stage pancreatic cancer in order to gain followers. The woman, famously known as MianBaobao on social media, announced the diagnosis three years ago. According to Insider, the Taiwanese influencer went as far as adding her "illness" to her Instagram bio. "Non-professional weightlifting athlete and a professional cancer fighter," it reportedly read. Her lies started to be exposed a year ago when her ex-husband shared his suspicions. "Every time she went for treatment she insisted that her family drop her off at the entrance to the hospital and insisted on seeing the doctor alone," he said, as per the South China Morning Post. "The total medical expenses for the whole family in 2021 amounted to just $275, and I never saw any attending doctor, diagnosis proof, or hospital receipts from her in the past two years." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The influencer has since deleted all of her Instagram posts and issued an apology. "To all the family members, friends, fans, and netizens who have cared about me, supported me, and cheered me on, I want to apologize. "I did the last thing a person should do. I lied about cancer and lied to everyone for three years. I'm sorry to anyone who ever gave me a little kindness. "I know I deserve to die for the things I've done. And now I need to pay the price for the choices I've made." She went on to address companies who she previously secured brand deals with, writing: "If there's a company that requires me to fork out a sum for compensation, I will do so. But I know there's damage that has been done that money cannot compensate for. All I can do is apologise again." Indy100 reached out to the influencer for 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.

New ick unlocked: People are paying for blue ticks on Instagram. Avid Instagrammers will have noticed the surge of blue ticks taking over the platform, leaving people confused as to how their friend become an overnight internet sensation. As exciting as that would be, it's sadly not the case. Instead, people are using their hard-earned money for a blue badge. For the blissfully unaware, Instagram followed in the footsteps of Twitter recently by offering a monthly subscription service from £9.99 a month. Let's break this down: Public figures Instagram offer free blue tick verification to public figures including professionals, journalists, influencers, celebrities and brands who meet the platform's account and eligibility requirements. Their accounts must be authentic, unique, complete and notable, meaning they "must represent a well-known, highly searched for person, brand or entity". "We review accounts that are featured in multiple news sources, and we don't consider paid or sponsored media content as sources for review," Instagram said. Once verified, public figures, celebrities and brands that meet certain account and eligibility requirements may not change their username on their account – nor can it be transferred to a different account. On the flip side, there's 'Meta Verified', the new subscription model that allows any Instagram user to pay monthly for a tick. As it stands, Instagram has used the same colour and design for both paying users and notable figures, making it difficult for users to set the two apart. Whether or not they will make the two more identifiable in the future is unclear. Meta Verified / paying subscribers Now, anyone can apply to be verified using their ID and a spare £10 a month. Meta suggests it's to help people have more protection from impersonation and give them access to a "real person" if they encounter any issues. Indy100 reached out to Instagram for 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.

A billboard has captured the atmosphere in New York, after the city was engulfed in smoke blown down from wildfires raging in Canada. The Canadian province of Quebec is currently experiencing hundreds of shocking wildfires and the pollution has led to the air quality in the city to be categorised as “very unhealthy”. It’s given the city an ‘apocalyptic’ look, with social media full of people sharing images of the city covered in orange smog. One image that has sparked a big reaction is a billboard advertising a new video game, which seems to capture the atmosphere in the city. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The advert is for the action role-playing game Diablo IV from Blizzard Entertainment and it features a demonic character on the front with the strapline “welcome to hell, New York”. Somehow, that seems strangely accurate right now. Meanwhile, NYC’s Mayor Eric Adams warned that the authorities “recommend all New Yorkers limit outdoor activity to the greatest extent possible” and people in North America have been advised to wear N95 masks outdoors. There are more than 400 wildfires raging in Canada which have led to mass evacuations in Quebec province. While some predictions said NYC might get some relief by Thursday evening, US National Weather Service meteorologist Bryan Ramsey said "conditions are likely to remain unhealthy for at least the next few days", with no end in sight for the wildfires. The city’s health commissioner Ashwin Vasan told reporters on Wednesday that the city’s air quality is at its worst since the 1960s, with conditions expected to last through several days. 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 27-year-old internet star has died after drinking 'Chinese firewater' on a live stream. Zhong Yuan Huang Ge was allegedly seen chugging a bottle of the local spirit known as baijiu, which alcohol content ranges between 35 to 60 per cent. Huang's Douyin account – the Chinese version of TikTok – has reportedly since been deleted. His wife confirmed the devastating news, according to The Straits Times, explaining that he had been "desperately" trying to make money to pay off debt. She said he had "to repay hundreds of thousands of yuan in debt that he owed before his marriage". Huang's death marks the second in a month as a result of drinking challenges, after a fellow influencer experienced a similar fate. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter The man, identified as Wang Moufeng, was found dead on 17 May after reportedly drinking four bottles of the alcohol for his fans. "When his family found him, he was already gone," a friend identified as Zhao informed Shangyou News. "He didn’t even get a chance for emergency treatment." In a bizarre turn of events, the pair were actually friends with Huang attending Moufeng's funeral weeks prior to his own death. "I don’t know how much he had consumed before I tuned in. But in the latter part of the video, I saw him finish three bottles before starting on a fourth," Zhao told The Straits Times. He added: "The PK games ended at around 1 a.m. and by 1 p.m., (when his family found him) he was gone." 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.

Imane ‘Pokimane’ Anys has had her say on the recent controversial changes to Twitch, which has seen the streaming platform face an online backlash. Earlier this week, Twitch changed its branded content guidelines and faced immediate pushback from content creators. The changes impacted how users could advertise sponsorships as well as banning them from multi-streaming to “Twitch-like” platforms. Just a day later, Twitch revealed that they were removing the new guidelines after receiving widespread criticism. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter “Yesterday, we released new Branded Content Guidelines that impacted your ability to work with sponsors to increase your income from streaming. These guidelines are bad for you and bad for Twitch, and we are removing them immediately,” a statement read. “Sponsorships are critical to streamers’ growth and ability to earn income. We will not prevent your ability to enter into direct relationships with sponsors – you will continue to own and control your sponsorship business. “We want to work with our community to create the best experience on Twitch and to do that we need to be clear about what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. We appreciate your feedback and help in making this change.” Despite the apology, users have continued to hit out at Twitch. Pokimane has now spoken about the direction streaming could take in future, and urged users to pursue new routes to get what they deserve for their content. “I feel like because content creation is becoming so saturated [and] we often have trouble relying on the platforms we use, the future is direct to consumer paid content (patreon, onlypans, consumer goods, etc),” Pokimane wrote. “Cut out the middle man and get proper compensation for what you make/do!” she added. “Social media platforms will obviously always be used, but I think people will start looking at them as tools to gain exposure instead of being the way to make money,” the streamer went on to say. It comes after the CEO of Twitch, Dan Clancy, personally apologised during a recent stream for the abandoned changes to guidelines and said the company had “messed up”. “Let me just go straight to the point. For those who don’t know, we recently released this branded content policy. I won’t go through all the details,” he said recently. “We got a lot of negative pushback and the bottom line is we messed up. It’s on us and I apologise for that.” 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 19-year-old Italian model and influencer could be the country's next Queen. Prince Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy – also known as the Prince of Venice – said he will soon pass the baton to his daughter, Princess Vittoria of Savoy, as he's sure "she will do better than me." While speaking to the Daily Telegraph, he said: "It won’t be tomorrow or in one year, but when she is ready. It’s important that the younger generation have a chance to put new, modern ideas into practice." He went on to suggest that the younger generation is "much more conscious" about the world and its challenges. "It is important that she doesn’t become the heir at too late a stage in her life," he said of Vittoria, who shouldn't have to wait too long to become Queen. Filiberto candidly declared mentioned King Charles III, saying while he "is a wonderful King," it "would have been helpful" if he had been sovereign 20 years back. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Vittoria – full name Princess Vittoria Cristina Adelaide Chiara Maria di Savoia – currently lives in London where she studies art history and political science. She is said to split her time between Paris and Geneva and dabbles with modelling outside of her studies, being signed to Parisian model agency, Karin. Her Instagram page has racked up over a healthy 80,000 followers. Here, Vittoria shares photos from her shoots, including a front cover for French Vanity Fair. Vittoria's future reign was made possible when the Salic Law – which meant the Savoy line could only be given to male heirs – was revoked. In 2020, the Prince of Venice announced that he was breaking this Salic Law of Succession. Slay. 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.

An influencer from Australia has rubbed some people the wrong way after promoting her son's handmade T-shirts on social media priced between $50 and $60. Ruby Tuesday Matthews took to her Instagram Stories, writing: "Mars has a few shirts and singlets that we are going to sell here," "100 (sic) of the profits go into his piggy bank as he does not have a bank account yet." She continued: "He just owes me money for the die (sic) and shirts LOL but I’ll let that slide." The seemingly innocent business venture caused a stir online – especially when it caught the attention of influencer watchdog, Dutch Minty. “What do you think of @rubytuesdaymatthews selling tie dyed tshirts for $50+ made by her 5 year old?” the account posted, according to AU News. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter "I'm sure she has plenty of spare change she could be putting in her son's piggy bank. $50 for a tie-dye shirt and they tie-dye isn't even that vibrant? Ya joking," one person hit back, while another added: "Yeah bc we’re going to buy shirts to fund a kid's piggy bank, surely gotta be taking the p**s. The physical cringe reaction I had to this." Others joked about the extinction of old-fashioned lemonade stands. Despite some negative comments towards the concept, others simply didn't find anything wrong with it. "I’m all for teaching kids how to make money and save. I believe it needs to be taught from a young age. Makes them appreciate things a lot better. Money doesn’t grow on trees," one person chimes in. "If her fans want to pay for something her kid did let them! She’s laughing all the way to the bank," a second added. Indy100 reached out to Ruby for 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.

A lawyer instantly regretted his comments after confessing to having an affair in front of an entire crowd at a comedy show. When comedian Jessica Kirson kicked off her show by warming up the audience, she pinpointed a man sitting in the front row and asked what he did for a living due to his "nice suit". He told Kirson he worked as a lawyer, which led the comedian to ask how long he and his plus-one were dating. Without thinking, the date responded that they were not and that he was, in fact, her boss. "This is why I didn't want to sit at the front," the lawyer responded, to which Kirson said: "You’re never going to see these f**king people again." It was then the man shared his concerns about being posted to social media, as the pair were having an affair. Kirson was clearly taken aback by the confession, as she quipped back: "You're having a f**king affair and you're sitting at the front?!" Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter @jessicakirson A lawyer came to my show and decided to sit up front even though 😂 #cheating #cheater #lawyer #wow #fyp #foryou The snippet soon went viral on TikTok, where fans took no time in heading to the comments section. "The fact he answered 'an honest lawyer' and then admitted to having an affair right after," one person highlighted, while another joked: "I'm going to hell because I laughed so much… I watched it twice. Hell for sure. Maybe purgatory… that’s worse (according to a friend)." A third person added: "I mean the best way to hide an affair with your assistant is to go to a TikTok-famous stand up and sit front seat." Meanwhile, one fellow TikToker did not see the funny side whatsoever, writing: "This makes me sad someone’s partners back home waiting for their love to come back." 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.