Fool's gold: Analyzing dark side of social media pranks
Not long ago, the internet was dominated by viral pranks that would amass millions of views across social media. Brought into the mainstream by shows like "Jackass" and "Punk'd," these videos emerged as an easy way for anyone with a camera to get popular.
Though pranking videos are still popular on platforms like TikTok and Twitch today, their heyday undoubtedly came with the rise of various content creators in the mid-2010s on YouTube and Vine.
The genre was once full of original, unique ideas, but the format has since begun to slow down and become repetitive. Though the genre is not dead, it's worth exploring what made these people so viral, and what factors may have played a part in its continuing decline.
Vitaly Zdorovetskiy (VitalyzdTV)
As one of the pioneers of YouTube pranks, Zdorovetskiy made his mark with edgy pranks and a disregard for the status quo. His most infamous moment was his streaking in the 2014 World Cup Final.
Zdorovetskiy specialized in pranking unsuspecting people in public, a format that would soon catch on across YouTube. He was widely known for his undying commitment to his videos, as seen in his popular Russian hitman and zombie attack prank videos.
Zdorovetskiy would constantly feel the need to top his previous efforts, which led to more outlandish concepts and accusations of his pranks being fake. His no-holds-barred attitude and chaotic personality rubbed many viewers the wrong way, especially parents. His later arrests would be the nail in the coffin for the creator.
Roman Atwood (RomanAtwood)
As the face of YouTube pranks in the 2010s, Atwood rose to fame through his unique content, which combined pranks with family-friendly vlogs. While his content seemed harmless to his young audience, in retrospect, videos like "Blowing Up My Kid PRANK!!" and "Killing My Own Kid PRANK!!" crossed the line.
Other pranks like "Stealing Peoples Gas Prank!!" or "Bear Attack Prank!!" saw Atwood take to the public for reactions.
Unsurprisingly, his videos would later generate backlash, with the public noting the dangerous precedent his videos were setting for children's content on YouTube. Atwood's last prank video came in 2016 with the video "Car Crash Prank!!"
Though Atwood still posts somewhat regularly on his vlog channel, his waning view count is not reflective of his more than 15 million-subscriber fan base and his once-irrefutable spot as the top YouTube prankster.
Jesse Wellens and Jeana Smith (Prank vs. Prank)
Wellens and Smith cornered the market on the sub-genre of couple's pranks with their YouTube channel, "Prank vs. Prank." Like Atwood, the channel featured a combination of vlogs and pranks. But Wellens and Smith added a unique element that involved the two continuously pranking one another.
The two had an engaging dynamic, but their content eventually got stale, leading to repetitive and outrageous videos like "GIRLFRIEND CAUGHT CHEATING PRANK" and "CAT FALLS OUT WINDOW PRANK".
Unfortunately, Wellens and Smith broke up in 2016 and effectively ended Prank vs. Prank in the process, citing their content as something that took a massive toll on their relationship. The Prank vs. Prank channel, now renamed Jesse, acts as Wellens' personal vlog channel, while Smith has her own channel.
While YouTube has seen a decline in the trend, pranks have continued to rise on other platforms like TikTok and Twitch. Creators like Danny Duncan, Lofe and JiDion have managed to switch things up by incorporating absurdity and a sense of irony into their videos, but concerns still persist over the ethics, safety and consequences of such content.
Despite all of the controversial examples of the past, the genre continues to grow and reinvent itself. Now, more than ever, users need to reflect on the content they consume as it continues to get into the hands of young, impressionable audiences.
