A clout chaser is defined as a person who does or says things for the purpose of becoming more popular. It is a term used to talk about people desperate for fame on social media. While a simple definition doesn’t make cloutchasing sound all that bad, it is essentially dangerous and stupid at its core. Cloutchasing can lead to impulsive, problematic and perilous actions and behaviors that can put other people in danger. Just last year, an influencer started the ‘Corona Virus Challenge’ with intentions to become a social media star. This influencer licked a toilet seat on an airplane in order to attract attention from the Internet, encouraging her followers to engage in this as well.

One student commented her opinion on cloutchasing: “I think cloutchasing is really bad because people participate in trends that could cause permanent harm. I think it’s best to only participate in trends that don’t hurt you or anybody.”

The problem

Cloutchasing is both ridiculous and dangerous. It may range from problematic trends up to actual life-threatening acts. Not too long ago, people participated in a trend which involved going to stores and licking ice cream in their containers before returning them to their spots in the aisle. This would result in people purchasing possibly contaminated ice cream. This is a clear hazard to people’s safety and health as they might’ve caught harmful germs. Not only is it harmful, it is also revolting to do so.

Licking ice cream is only the tip of the cloutchasing iceberg as other much dangerous activities loom over this. A teenager went to the hospital after participating in the ‘hot water’ challenge in 2018. This challenge involved the pouring of hot water over one’s skin. This resulted in painful and severe burns. Even worse, a woman killed her boyfriend back in 2017 while performing a stunt intended for gaining views on YouTube. This happened while she aimed and shot the book her boyfriend was holding to his chest.

As social media grows more prominent in our culture, so does the craving for fame involving it. These behaviors will only escalate with new and more perilous trends and challenges. Cloutchasing may have adverse consequences in the future as people’s morals disintegrate with the idea of fame.