YouTube and Facebook (and a definitely-real security robot seen below) are taking extreme measures to deal with teens who can’t resist the siren call of Tide Pods, which (by the transitive property) are just detergent-flavored Pizza Rolls.
The Tide Pod Challenge, in which a small number of people have posted videos of themselves biting into Tide Pods, has run afoul of YouTube and Facebook’s guidelines about content which encourages self-harm. Even though the whole kerfuffle is mostly just people joking on Twitter about Tide Pods, there have been some real injuries. The American Association of Poison Control Centers says 39 people have already been treated for “intentional exposure” this month.
A spokesperson for Google (owner of YouTube) told CNN Money, “we don’t allow the promotion of self-injury.” Google also released a statement saying, “YouTube’s Community Guidelines prohibit content that’s intended to encourage dangerous activities that have an inherent risk of physical harm. We work to quickly remove flagged videos that violate our policies.”
Facebook has also begun removing some Tide Pod Challenge content, including posts on Instagram (owned by Facebook).
In the meantime, people can take their own extreme measures to combat detergent-eating, thanks to this security “robot” which is definitely not a joke at all. (Sh*t gets real at 1:15.)
That seems a bit excessive, but it takes a huge effort to resist something that looks so appetizing…
Vinnie’s Pizzeria in Brooklyn is now making Tide Pod pizza pic.twitter.com/nG4yWyzn0I
— julia reinstein 🚡 (@juliareinstein) January 18, 2018
Not sold on these yet pic.twitter.com/vRgQx0Kmko
— Dr. Bucky Isotope, Astrologist, IQ 188 (@BuckyIsotope) January 18, 2018
https://twitter.com/zachbraff/status/953732309454266369
(Via CNN Money, The Wrap, AAPCC, Useless Duck Company, Julia Reinstein, Bucky Isotope, and Zach Braff)