The Duct Tape Challenge, as we all know, is a growing trend among social media sites. The idea is simple: Duct tape someone to a chair, wall, pole, or just in general, and the person who is duct taped has to escape in a certain amount of time.
This idea is nothing new. It's been working its way around platforms like YouTube for a few years now. So why am I talking about it? Within these Duct Tape Challenge Videos, I have begun to see a subset of videos that involve a person being duct taped and left alone. This usually takes the form of taping the person up in an inescapable position, only to say something like, "Well, I've got some errands to run! See ya!", and then leaving the person like that for hours.
Whether this is a legitimate "prank" or if the scenario was staged for views is uncertain, though most of the videos involve the prankster checking the time on their phone and heading back home to a pissed off friend or sibling making it seems like most of them are actually real.
Best I can tell it originated with this upload from a popular YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0dmqqtKnHQ
Since then, multiple channels have been trying their hand at it.
This is extremely dangerous. Leaving someone who is tied or taped up in a state of helplessness alone could be life threatening. What if there's a fire and the person can't evacuate? Or if they're gagged with something, what if they can't breath properly and suffocate? They would have no way of seeking help.
I have nothing against kids doing the Duct Tape Challenge. It's fun for them and provides the likes of us with TUG's to marvel at. But if you're going to do it, please be responsible about it.