18 Dumb Internet Challenges That Should Be Banned

The advancement of technology, the internet, and social media has led to many positive changes. It’s now easier to communicate with loved ones on the other side of the globe, plus, consuming news from different countries and learning about history is far more accessible. On the other hand, the internet and social media have opened the floodgates to some of the world’s dumbest moments.

A new phenomenon has swept the globe; dumb internet challenges. Not only are these challenges stupid, but they’re also very dangerous. Often these challenges result in severe injuries and long-term damage to vital organs. The challenges usually require the participants to upload a video to their social media platforms, such as Tik Tok and Instagram, so the world can see their attempt at completing the challenge. Here’s a look at 18 dumb internet challenges that should be banned forever.

18 Dumb Internet Challenges That Should Be Banned

1. Fire Challenge

Internet challenges aren’t just dumb and funny. Often these challenges are unsafe and attract a large number of children. For instance, the fire challenge grew in popularity from 2012 to 2014. It requires pouring a flammable liquid on your body, setting it on fire, and filming it for social media.

The idea is to put the flame out immediately, but that is rarely the case. The challenge often results in third and second-degree burns and other side effects. Several kids suffered severe burns from attempting the challenge.

2. The Benadryl Challenge

Since 2020, the Benadryl challenge has gained immense popularity on social media. It first popped up on TikTok and quickly gained a following. The challenge involves intentionally ingesting and overdosing on the medication Benadryl. Also known as Diphenhydramine, the challenge attracted teenagers who would film themselves consuming large amounts of pills. They would document the trippy side effects, such as hallucinations, and post them on social media platforms.

Several risks and side effects are involved, including delirium, hyperthermia, confusion, coma, and death. Furthermore, it damages the organs affecting the cardiovascular and nervous systems. 

3. The Condom Challenge

There are two versions of the condom challenge, which are equally dangerous and dumb. With its origins in the early 90s, the condom-snorting challenge became popular around 2006. The challenge involves the participant snorting a latex condom through the nasal cavity to the back of the throat. It’s a high-risk challenge that increases the chances of choking on the condom.

The second version, known as the condom water drop, requires the participant to have a condom full of water dropped on their head. The condom usually wraps itself around the entire face and head. In this case, the condom seals the eyes, mouth, and nose shut without air getting in from any direction, which is very dangerous. 

4. The Salt and Ice Challenge

With salt and ice easily accessible, the salt and ice challenge is a dumb and dangerous internet trend. The challenge requires the individual to cover their arms or hands in salt and ice. The combination of salt and ice induces a chemical response, causing a burning sensation similar to frostbite.

The idea is to determine how long the person can withstand the pain. The challenge often creates second and third-degree burns. However, it also causes severe nerve damage and other injuries. The challenge is popular with young kids who often end up suffering severe burns to their arms. 

5. The Skull Breaker Challenge

Originating in South America, the skull breaker challenge is the newest internet craze causing severe injuries. The challenge involves three people jumping next to each other and kicking their legs out from the third. This causes the third person to fall backward on their head and neck.

Several kids and teenagers around the globe have suffered various injuries. Medical professionals criticized the skull break challenge and noted that it often leads to skull fractures and paralysis. 

6. Cinnamon Challenge

The cinnamon challenge first hit the internet in 2001 before peaking around 2012. The challenge features participants eating a spoonful of cinnamon in less than 60 seconds. On the surface, it seems like an easy challenge, but it has many dangerous health risks. Cinnamon is harmless, but eating a spoonful that fast results in the cinnamon coating the mouth and throat.

Furthermore, it triggers the gag reflex causing the individual to inhale cinnamon dust. Therefore, the challenge can cause breathing difficulties and increases the possibility of an asthma attack, a collapsed lung, or pneumonia. 

7. Milk Crate Challenge 

In 2021, the milk crate challenge exploded on Tik Tok and quickly became the newest online trend. The challenge involves stacking a series of milk crates into a staircase design on both sides. The participant must climb up the unstable structure and down the other side to complete the challenge.

It sounds simple, but it’s common for the structure to collapse during the challenge causing severe damage, including spinal cord injuries, broken wrists, ACL tears, rotator cuff tears, and dislocated shoulders. After several complaints, Tik Tok removed videos of the challenge to discourage others from attempting it. 

8. Bird Box Challenge 

The 2019 Netflix movie Bird Box features characters wearing blindfolds as they escape a dangerous entity. Taking the blindfold off will lead to dire consequences. While the movie got mixed reviews, the Bird Box challenge became a trending topic.

Initially, the challenge focused on Twitch streamers wearing blindfolds while playing video games. However, it quickly grew from that to people wearing blindfolds as they complete everyday tasks. The challenge resulted in a teenage girl crashing her car while driving with a blindfold. 

9. Tide Pod Challenge 

In 2012, the Tide brand released Tide Pods to innovate laundry. Due to the packaging, little kids often mistook Tide pods for candy. Eating Tide pods became a popular internet meme before transitioning into the Tide Pod challenge.

The challenge became immensely popular with teenagers who would film themselves eating a Tide Pod. They would post the clip to social media and challenge others to do the same. Hospitals saw a sharp uptick in poisoned patients participating in the Tide Pod Challenge. 

10. The Kylie Jenner Challenge

Kylie Jenner is one of the most famous reality stars today. Fans have praised her plump and round lips. These fans like them so much that they want to have them too. The Kylie Jenner lip challenge is a dangerous challenge that quickly went viral.

Participants put their lips inside a container sucking in all the air. The container acts as a vacuum causing the lips to become plump like Kylie’s briefly. The juicy lips effect is only short-term, but the damage is long-term. It causes severe harm to the lips and bleeding.

11. Duct Tape Challenge 

New internet challenges are constantly popping up, starting dangerous trends. The duct tape challenge is a hazardous challenge that often ends in injuries. It requires the participants to have someone wrap them in duct tape and then try to break free. It often leads to people panicking, falling over, and suffering shoulder, arm, and back injuries. A very dumb challenge indeed. 

12. The Hot Pepper Challenge 

The hot pepper challenge quickly became a viral sensation. While adults have attempted the challenge, it attracts a large number of kids. It involves consuming spicy hot peppers, such as ghost pepper, Thai Pepper, habanero, Trinidad moruga scorpion pepper, or cayenne pepper.

The challenge’s most crucial part is filming yourself through the various stages before and after eating the pepper. The participant experiences painful side effects, including vomiting, stomach pains, seizures, and hallucinations. Several young children ended up in the hospital after trying to complete the challenge at school.

13. The Blackout Challenge

The blackout challenge involves deliberately cutting off the oxygen to the brain. Sometimes confused with autoerotic asphyxiation, the blackout challenge is popular among teens and has no sexual gratification. Instead, it causes a brief euphoric feeling similar to taking drugs.

Experts also believe that peer pressure plays a significant factor in the challenge’s widespread popularity. Whatever the reason, it is easily one of the most dangerous and dumbest challenges. 

14. The Penny Challenge 

It feels like there’s a new internet challenge weekly with them getting more and more dangerous. For instance, the penny challenge first showed up in 2020 and took dangerous risks to new levels.

The challenge involves participants plugging in their cell phone chargers halfway and placing a penny on the exposed prongs. The individual often feels a substantial shock go through their body. It’s hazardous and results in numerous injuries and can also cause fires. 

15. The Backpack Challenge 

In the last few years, the backpack challenge has emerged as one of the most dangerous internet challenges. The participant must run a course as their friends hit them with backpacks. It’s a reasonably straightforward challenge that can have dangerous consequences.

The key is to fill the backpack with heavy objects to cause as much pain as possible. The participant often gets knocked unconscious and cannot defend themselves as their friends beat them with backpacks. Many kids suffer significant head injuries as a result of the challenge.

16. The Cereal Challenge 

Internet challenges are getting so out of control that TikTok sends out numerous warnings regarding particular challenges. The cereal challenge is possibly the grossest and most dangerous challenge. It requires the volunteer to lie down and open their mouth as a friend pours milk and cereal into their mouth and then proceeds to eat the cereal.

Aside from the fact that it’s highly unsanitary, the cereal challenge is one of the most dangerous. The volunteer is at high risk of choking and vomiting up the cereal. 

17. The Ice Bucket Challenge

The Ice Bucket Challenge is a controversial challenge that divided the public. Also known as the ALS ice bucket challenge, the purpose was to raise awareness and donations for ALS. The challenge involved the participant pouring a bucket of ice water over their head. They would then issue a challenge to someone else, noting they have 24 hours to complete it.

While it’s not as dumb as some of the other challenges, it still gained a great deal of criticism. Many people felt the focus was on a trivial task instead of real charity work. It was more about people feeling good about themselves while not really doing anything, although it did raise a small amount of awareness about ALS along with some money. 

18. The Momo Challenge

The momo and blue whale internet challenges are tricky and complex to understand. Both may be internet hoaxes, which are as common as the challenges on this list. In 2017, police charged Philip Budeikin as the mastermind behind this internet challenge.

Essentially, the participant has to commit acts of self-harm for 50 days, ending with them committing suicide. Furthermore, they must delete everything about the challenge from their computer before the suicide attempt.

The police caught Budeikin after one of the participants couldn’t complete the challenge and told on him. There’s no evidence the challenge is as widespread as the rumors suggest. Regardless, it’s one of the most dangerous challenges online.