Mum Breaks Spine Doing Stiletto Trend: What Are The Worst Challenges In Internet's History?
Internet challenges come with their own set of challenges. The desire to go viral or simply stay in tune with the trend drives a ton of engagement online. Your social media apps may love the idea of traffic pumping into their platforms with heightened likes and shares during a viral challenge, but the well-being of an individual goes for a toss when potentially dangerous trends bring an unhealthy amount of FOMO in their digital spheres. Take 32-year-old Mariana Barutkina, an influencer mom, for instance.
Barutkina, who hails from Russia, recently tried her hand (read: leg) on recreating Nicki Minaj's 12-year-old pose that the folks on the Internet call a 'Stiletto" challenge. For the unversed, this viral trend involves balancing in high-heeled stilettos on unusual objects or in odd locations, such as soda cans, stools, boxes, ladders, dumbbells, or even water fountains. You get the idea.
The new mom's attempt at ticking 'stiletto challenge" off her list, however, did not end well. Balancing on a pan and baby formula on her kitchen countertop, Barutkina's recreation lasted for a few seconds before panic was plastered all over her face.
This, unfortunately, wasn't the only Internet challenge that has caused an injury to an excited participant.
Kiki Challenge
Kiki, do you love me? Remember the glorious days of the Internet when citizens of Earth were casually ditching their moving cars to perform a dance step?
With Drake's 'In My Feelings" blaring from car speakers, individuals jumped out of moving vehicles, performed dance moves beside them, and hopped back in to complete a viral challenge. Unsurprisingly, this risky trend resulted in injuries.
Cops around the world issued warnings against recreating the challenge that put traffic safety in jeopardy and caused accidents worldwide.
Not just a risk for you but your act can put life of others at risk too. Desist from public nuisance or face the music ! #DanceYourWayToSafety #InMySafetyFeelingsChallenge pic.twitter.com/gY2txdcxWZ — मुंबई पोलीस – Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) July 26, 2018
Tide Pod
What could possibly go wrong after ingesting a detergent capsule? The Internet coined it the 'Tide Pod challenge", and it simply involved people, mostly kids, biting into the 'forbidden fruit" and spewing detergent from their mouths.
Many who tried their hands on this hazardous challenge experienced diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting. There were deaths reported, too, a report in NBC dated 2018 revealed.
Cockroach On Face
This might not particularly be a dangerous Internet challenge on the face, but hey, that's a cockroach on the face nonetheless.
Alex Aung kicked off a viral challenge on Facebook, daring people to place a live cockroach on their face and snap a selfie. He posted a photo of himself doing it and encouraged others to join in and spread the challenge.
Skull Breaker Challenge
This challenge was not only cruel but also highly dangerous.
In this unusual challenge, three individuals line up side by side. The person in the centre jumps, while the two on either side kick the jumper's leg, causing them to fall. The goal of this risky stunt is to make the jumper land heavily on their back, potentially leading to serious head injuries.
Just Internet things, right?
The #skullbreakerchallenge which is currently trending on #tiktok is fatal. Please pay attention to our kids. pic.twitter.com/SQi9RPpk6j — Nicole Wong 王晓庭 (@nicolewong89) February 14, 2020
Parents, understandably, grew concerned and urged the younger demographic to put a full stop to harming their friends and loved ones for a few chuckles. Commenting on the hazards of the challenge, one X user wrote: 'These Dumb kids and the skull breaker challenge. They are unable to see the dangers of this prank. Foolish generation they can't think at all. Why would anyone want to hurt their friend. They are being tricked by evil spirits."
Outlet Challenge
You already know where this is going. Don't do?
top videos
View all
The 'outlet challenge" involved participants partially inserting a phone charger into a wall socket and placing a coin in the gap to create sparks.
Fire departments in the US were summoned in separate instances when they were informed about scorched outlets in houses and high schools, where kids thought it was a wise idea to make a coin contact an electrical outlet.
About the Author
News Desk
The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, the Desk d...Read More
Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!
tags :
internet challenge
view comments
Location :
New Delhi, India, India
First Published:
August 07, 2025, 12:05 IST
News explainers Mum Breaks Spine Doing Stiletto Trend: What Are The Worst Challenges In Internet's History?
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Man, lion startle each other as they come face to face in Gujarat's Junagadh; video amuses netizens
Several incidents of human-animal encounters have been reported in recent times, with many of them proving to be fatal for the people involved. However, a recent video capturing an unexpected encounter between a man and a lion at a cement factory in Gujarat has triggered much laughter across the Internet. The incident occurred in the Junagadh area. Shared by Susanta Nanda, a retired IFS officer, the viral video shows the man casually walking out of the factory's premises. At the same time, a lion happens to be approaching from another direction – their view of each other blocked by what appears to be a guard's room. Just as they both turn the corner, they come face-to-face and panic, running away from each other the same instant. 'Worker of the cement factory at Junagarh & a free roaming lion accidentally meet each other. Both panic. You have just witnessed the rare reverse chase,' Nanda wrote on X. Watch the video here: Worker of the cement factory at Junagarh & a free roaming lion accidentally meet each other. Both panic. You have just witnessed the rare reverse chase 😀 — Susanta Nanda IFS (Retd) (@susantananda3) August 10, 2025 The video quickly went viral, garnering an array of reactions. 'Think he never got cautious despite dogs giving those warnings and alarm calls. A lesson for life probably. Dogs they give amazing alarm calls in the night and especially for leopards. One ought to keep the guard and vigil around any such abnormal behaviour of these Mongrels and Strays, especially around wilderness,' a user wrote. 'That's because humans are in their zones,' another commented. 'We give them more reasons to be afraid of us, no wonder she ran away,' a third user reacted. In another bizarre incident, a woman in Rajasthan tied a Rakhi to a leopard. According to reports, the leopard has been frequently spotted in the area over the past few days and has been showing signs of aggression. Local residents claimed it often wandered into the village and appeared unusually fearless of humans.
News18
4 hours ago
- News18
Ever Wondered How Your Favourite Banana Chips Get That Crunch? Watch This
Last Updated: A special banana slicer is fixed on the edge of the wok, and the peeled bananas are sliced directly into the hot oil. Banana chips are a popular snack loved by many across the country. The crunchiness with a salty taste makes them hard to resist once you start. But how exactly are these delicious chips made? A viral video from Delhi shows the step-by-step process of preparing banana chips. The clip was filmed at a shop called South Indian Hot Chips in Vivek Nagar, Delhi, where two vendors are seen preparing banana chips in large batches. Here's How The Vendors Prepare Delicious Banana Chips They begin with firm green bananas, ideal for frying into crispy chips, and carefully peel them before moving on to the next step. Next, one of the vendors pours a tin of oil into a big wok. A special banana slicer is fixed on the edge of the wok, and the peeled bananas are sliced directly into the hot oil. With every press, thin, long banana slices drop straight into the sizzling oil. The vendors fry the chips until they turn golden brown. Finally, the cooked chips are taken out with a large strainer ladle to drain the excess oil. The footage was shared online by a food vlogger with the caption: 'Banana chips lovers, this one's for you! Delhi mein ho rahi hai banana chips ki mass production – crispy, fresh & full of flavour! (Mass production of banana chips in Delhi). Ek baar try karoge, baar-baar yaad aayega! (Try it once and you'll keep remembering it.) Location: Vivek Vihar." What Foodies Are Saying Since it was posted online, the video has gathered more than nine million views. The comments section was flooded with different reactions. One user commented, 'Believe me, guys, it's so tasty." Another said, 'Bhai yeh toh daily khaata hun (Brother, I eat them daily)." Someone else expressed, 'One of my favourite snacks," while a person noted, 'Surat mein bahut banta hai, aur yeh kaafi famous bhi hai (It's made a lot in Surat and it is also quite famous)." Many just dropped heart emojis to show how much they love banana chips. Are Banana Chips Really Healthy? The crispy chips look undeniably tempting and are often seen as a healthier snack alternative. However, this belief was challenged by a man, identified as a doctor on his Instagram handle. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dr. Eswar (@ In a video posted in May, he burned two banana chips to demonstrate how much oil they contained. Within seconds, the paper beneath the chips was soaked with more than '20 oil drops." He claimed that, despite their healthy reputation, banana chips actually hold a significant amount of oil. About the Author Buzz Staff A team of writers at bring you stories on what's creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture. News18's viral page features trending stories, videos, and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! view comments Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: August 11, 2025, 10:46 IST News viral Ever Wondered How Your Favourite Banana Chips Get That Crunch? Watch This Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Indian Express
Denied a Labubu, China boy smashes glass ceiling and chandelier worth Rs 48 lakh at relative's house
Haunted or not, Labubu dolls have taken the toy industry by storm, becoming a must-have collectable among both celebrities and influencers. From global icons like Rihanna, Dua Lipa, and BLACKPINK's LISA to social media personalities, the quirky, wide-eyed figures have become a symbol of pop culture cool. As the Labubu fever shows no signs of slowing down, a boy in China has caught the Internet's attention as he caused damages worth over Rs 48 lakh at his relative's house after he was denied the viral doll. According to a report in the South China Morning Post, the boy spotted a Labubu doll adorned with luxury jewellery, and demanded to have it. However, his family refused his demand, triggering a dramatic scene. The child then reportedly grabbed a remote control, and flung it into a mirror-glass ceiling panel, smashing it completely. The panel was worth 100,000 yuan (over Rs 11 lakh). The report added that the remote also struck a luxurious Italian crystal chandelier worth 300,000 yuan (over Rs 36 lakh), sending it crashing to the floor. The incident was shared by a Chinese influencer, who wrote, 'The repair work for the ceiling alone requires removing and replacing all the remaining glass panels.' Despite the extensive damage, the child reportedly showed no remorse for his actions. 'They begged me not to go public with the story or involve their child,' said the influencer, explaining that the parents were worried the attention might 'affect the boy's mood.' Claiming they were financially struggling, the family offered only 20,000 yuan (Rs 2.4 lakh) in compensation, to be paid in two instalments. 'We are poor and cannot afford compensation. There is no point in going to court; please do not involve the child. Even if we have to sell everything, we'll pay the 20,000 yuan,' the parents were quoted as saying by South China Morning Post.
