Exploring the Creepy Side of Early YouTube

For many of us who grew up in the early days of YouTube, the platform was a treasure trove of funny, weird, and sometimes downright creepy videos. While many of these videos may seem comical or even silly in hindsight, they left a lasting impression on us and continue to be talked about today. In this article, we'll be taking a trip back in time to revisit five of the creepiest videos that many of us watched as kids.

1. Ghost Car

We'll begin with a real classic of the early YouTube era - "Ghost Car". The video first surfaced in 2005 and quickly became a favorite tool for pranking friends. The short clip involves a luxury sedan traveling through a serene landscape, with the viewer trying hard to listen for ghostly voices in the background. Then suddenly, a grotesque image appears on the screen accompanied by a loud and terrifying scream.

From this one clip, most people assumed that it was always intended as a prank video. However, one part of the video's description is true: it was indeed part of an advertising campaign. The clip was commissioned by German caffeine manufacturer Ki and the "Ghost Car" video is one of nine similarly composed ads, each 20 seconds long, that each culminate in some form of jump scare.

While the video was hugely successful in generating Kay's market identity over rival caffeine products, it also raised concerns about the safety of such videos. There were reports of people having heart attacks after watching it and other so-called screamer videos, which led to the first questions regarding censorship of the new wave of video hosting platforms that were emerging.

2. Unwind with the Sweeties

In our previous article, we looked at the case of Tara the Android and how YouTube's audience began piecing together an entirely fabricated backstory for this bizarre character. It says something about our acceptance of how dark the world can be when our brains can create such elaborate stories from viewing creepy or unsettling material. "Unwind with the Sweeties" is a perfect example of this phenomenon.

The video begins with an intro sequence after a man and a woman appear, both wearing brightly colored ski masks. While their mouths are visible, their eyes are covered with glasses on the front which are pictures of eyes seemingly cut out from a magazine. Both wear wigs that are intended to demonstrate their genders and help further differentiate the two. The male Sweetie is seen reading a sexually suggestive magazine before apparently fantasizing about Marilyn Monroe, played by the female Sweetie in a different wig.

The video leaves the viewer feeling uneasy, with feelings of apprehension and unease triggered by the ski masks and the odd behavior of the Sweeties. All of this leaves us wondering just what is the story behind the people who made the video.

3. The Scary Maze Game

"The Scary Maze Game" is a classic example of a jump scare prank video. The game starts off with a simple maze that gets increasingly difficult to navigate. Then suddenly, a terrifying image of a demon appears on the screen along with a loud and startling scream. This video became infamous for its ability to scare unsuspecting viewers, leading to many reaction videos appearing on YouTube.

4. Salad Fingers

"Salad Fingers" is a bizarre and unsettling animated series that first appeared on YouTube in 2004. The series follows the adventures of a strange, green, and seemingly delusional creature named Salad Fingers. The videos are full of grotesque imagery, disturbing themes, and a dark sense of humor that is not for the faint of heart. The series has since gained a cult following and is still talked about today.

5. The Grifter

"The Grifter" is a creepy video that tells the story of a man who claims to be able to cheat death. The video is shot in a found-footage style and features unsettling imagery, jump scares, and a sense of dread that only builds as the story progresses. While the video is clearly a work of fiction, the sense of unease it creates is palpable.

These five videos are just a small sample of the creepy content that was popular on YouTube in the early days. While some of these videos may seem hokey or even comical today, they left a lasting impression on us and continue to be talked about as part of YouTube's dark and eerie history.