Jake Paul shows off dangerous stunts for Bird Box challenge

Jake Paul is the latest YouTube celebrity to jump on the heavily criticized Bird Box challenge, taking it one step further by driving while blindfolded and walking out into the middle of a busy Los Angeles street. Even as a performed stunt, Paul’s video violates YouTube’s community guidelines.

Bird Box challenges have become increasingly popular on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. The idea is to walk around for a period of time while blindfolded, much like characters did in Netflix’s Bird Box. Although most of the videos focus on people walking around in an enclosed space for a short period of time, lessening the potential for serious harm, a popular challenge has emerged on YouTube wherein creators participate in the challenge for 24 hours.

Paul’s addition to the challenge is a 24-hour one. The content directly violates the company’s community guidelines, which state that promoting dangerous activities is prohibited on the platform.

The only notice that Paul gives is a disclaimer in the description that states the stunts were performed by professionals in a controlled environment and shouldn’t be replicated at home. A tiny caption appears at the bottom of the screen telling viewers not to try it at home.

“Please be warned (and we cannot possibly stress this enough); under no circumstances should any challenges, stunts, or pranks be attempted by any of our viewers,” the disclaimer reads. “All challenges, stunts, and pranks are performed by trained professionals in a controlled environment with proper safety measures taken, and are for entertainment purposes only! Again, do not try this at home!”

Still, Paul never vocally tells viewers to refrain from performing similar acts. It’s an obvious misstep considering Paul’s young audience — a viewership made up of eight- to 16-year-olds, according to Paul — and YouTube’s community guidelines regarding challenge or prank videos. Paul’s video also isn’t age-gated, but that could change. YouTube’s policy states “it may age-restrict videos containing adults participating in activities that have a high risk of injury or death.”

“While it might not seem fair to say you can’t show something because of what viewers might do in response, we draw the line at Content that intends to incite violence or encourage dangerous or illegal activities that have an inherent risk of serious physical harm or death,” YouTube’s community guidelines state. “Videos that we consider encouraging dangerous or illegal activities include, among other things, instructional bomb making, choking games, hard drug use, or other acts where serious injury may result.”

Paul’s video isn’t the first to appear, but YouTube has already started to take action against these types of challenges. The company has removed some of these videos already, and it is evaluating what videos are allowed on a case-by-case basis, according to Fast Company.

“YouTube’s Community Guidelines have long prohibited content intended to encourage dangerous activities that have an inherent risk of physical harm,” a spokesperson told Fast Company. “Our policies are especially strict when it comes to content featuring minors and we work to quickly remove flagged videos that violate these policies.”

YouTube faced similar issues last year after the infamous Tide Pod challenge began appearing on the site. Netflix, which produced Bird Box, has asked people on Twitter not to participate in the challenge.

Update January 7, 5:24 PM: Paul’s video was age-gated shortly after The Verge published this article. He can no longer monetize the video.