Risk Factors Of Popular Social Media Challenges

Humans love to stand out and be in the spotlight; for better or worse, we are social creatures. However, when you throw social media into the mix, a little competitive fun can quickly become a dangerous or fatal mishap. Social media challenges tend to appeal most to teenagers and young adults, and peer influence to try them out makes them familiar on school campuses, at the workplace, or even at home behind closed doors.

• The Covid 19 Challenge

While the thought of licking a toilet is gut-wrenching, it certainly didn't stop people from doing it to see if they could contract Coronavirus back when it flourished in March 2020. In addition to this deadly virus, toilet seats are breeding grounds for dangerous bacteria such as E. coli, influenza, salmonella, etc.

Social media users quickly took notice of this toilet-licking craze, which may have contributed to one challenger contracting the Coronavirus. However, despite its speedy recognition, the Covid 19 Challenge only prompted a limited number of participants to dismiss their health.

• The Complete Face Wax Challenge

Applying wax to your face should be done cautiously, especially concerning sensitive areas like your ears or nose. Q-tips are typically used in this challenge, allowing the wax to push up into the nostrils and possibly cause an obstruction.

Despite the lack of better judgment, a professional barber brought this challenge to fame. Unfortunately, this lack of ethical professionalism became a famous home stunt, and to make matters worse, children occasionally took to trying the Face Wax Challenge. Unfortunately, irritating skin is not the only consequence; forcefully tearing heated wax off the skin can cause burns.

• The Plank Challenge

Find any random surface or object, lie face down as straight as a board, and you have the plank challenge. Not surprisingly, this dare went to crazier extremes as it became all the craze at the beginning of the 2010s. But, if you have common sense about where you're doing it, the Plank Challenge poses little risk to your safety.

However, when planking on common surfaces such as tables and chairs lost appeal, participants started pushing the limits. For example, the tops of light posts became a widespread planking conquest, resulting in many injuries. Sadly, injury inevitably leads to death; an Australian man died after partaking in the Plank Challenge on a balcony in 2011.

• The Kiki Challenge

Originating as a challenge started by the comedian Shiggy, the Kiki Challenge was originally a street dance video of him grooving to Drake's song "In My Feelings." Since then, this challenge has taken an unexpected twist, showing car-side stunts as people exited vehicles to bust some moves on the road.

Accidental tripping getting out of the car has been a common occurrence, along with the poor judgment of not trying the stunt roadside with no oncoming traffic. One injury occurred after a participant attempted the Kiki Challenge, leaping on the hood of his friend's car, but accidentally slipped and directly impacted the vehicle. In addition, distracted drivers recording these stunts was one of the most notorious safety hazards.