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Dying for Viral Video: How the YouTube Generation Risks its Life for Internet Fame

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It's the worst case scenario of an alarming trend--attempting to go viral, no matter the cost.

In June, police in Minnesota responded to the home of MonaLisa Perez, 19, and Pedro Ruiz, 22 after the couple's latest attempt at YouTube fame had gone terribly wrong.

For their latest stunt, Ruiz held a thick book in front of his chest and Perez shot it, apparently believing the bullet would not make it all the way through. The young man died on the scene. 

"I really have no idea what they were thinking," Sheriff Jeremy Thornton of Norman County told the New York Times. "I just don't understand the younger generation on trying to get their 15 minutes of fame."

Perez was charged with second-degree manslaughter. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. 

Social observers say the tragedy is just one example of how the lure of internet fame can lead young and impressionable social media fans to attempt death-defying behavior with no thought of the consequence.

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"We have more ways than ever to reach a mass audience because of the reach of the Internet, and platforms like YouTube and Facebook. We are also inundated with reality TV shows. All of these give the appearance that fame is easy to achieve," explained Yalda Uhls, author of Media Moms and Digital Dads, A Fact not Fear Approach to Parenting in the Digital Age

Uhls explains that this need for fame is a normal part of a young person's development. However, in the age of social media the stakes of learning self regulation are much higher.

"Once it's online it can be copied, pasted and is permanent. It can reach a broad audience. Teenagers who do something stupid because they are still learning self regulation now can make the situation worse by posting."

According to Dr. Markus Pfeiffer, a Strategic Communication & Journalism professor at Regent University, the most loyal audience of YouTube are teenagers and young adults. This demographic is also the most impressionable. 

"It is not uncommon that middle or high schoolers would imitate such stunts and in turn post them online...Some of the more extreme (and responsible) YouTubers do warn their audience not to imitate their stunts and tricks."

When it comes to who's responsibility it is to monitor videos posted online that could result in dangerous copycat behavior, things get tricky.

"Where is the balance between freedom of speech and publication vs. limiting or censoring the exposure of potentially dangerous or harmful content? In recent years, in extreme cases, Social Media companies have learned to react fast and decisively to remove inappropriate content. (For example, filmed and published prisoner beheadings by terrorists.) However, many less graphic examples require careful legal analysis and in most cases content remains online," Dr. Pfeiffer explains. 

In the case of Perez and Ruiz the video of Pedro's death never made it online. It was immediate confiscated by law enforcement for evidence.

Uhls suggests that parents can speak into the space left by incidents like the one in Minnesota. 

"Talk to your children about the dangers of posting things on line without really thinking it through, talk about the Minnesota shooting and what happened. Use these examples in the media as teachable moments. Encourage your school to teach digital literacy," she suggested.
 

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About The Author

Caitlin Burke Headshot
Caitlin
Burke

Caitlin Burke serves as National Security Correspondent and a general assignment reporter for CBN News. She has also hosted the CBN News original podcast, The Daily Rundown. Some of Caitlin’s recent stories have focused on the national security threat posed by China, America’s military strength, and vulnerabilities in the U.S. power grid. She joined CBN News in July 2010, and over the course of her career, she has had the opportunity to cover stories both domestically and abroad. Caitlin began her news career working as a production assistant in Richmond, Virginia, for the NBC affiliate WWBT