YouTube's Most Infamous Bullied Children

Overview

The video looks back at young creators who became targets of online ridicule, tracing how viral fame and harassment affected them—and, in several cases, how they eventually moved on or reclaimed their stories.

Creators Featured

SammyClassicSonicFan

At 14, Sammy’s furious defenses of Sonic and Nintendo became meme-famous, especially his “Stop Hating on Sonic” rant and the later “What will you learn? What will you learn? That your actions have consequences” outburst.

The attention quickly turned into sustained trolling. His family was doxed, his parents pulled his videos, and Sammy repeatedly left and returned to the internet. Over time, he spoke about depression, school, college, and growing up, while learning to joke along with his old meme status. He later interacted with creators who had helped popularize his videos, but his eventual retirement post said he needed privacy and wanted to protect his loved ones. The narrator closes Sammy’s story with an earnest expression of support for his growth.

Misha, the Pokémon Go Kid

Misha’s catchy, repetitive “I Play Pokémon Go” song went viral and drew commentary channels that mocked him. Rather than simply retreating, Misha and his older brother leaned into the attention, even releasing a deliberately provocative diss track aimed at “cyberbully” channels.

The narrator portrays Misha as unusually able to treat the backlash as a route to fame. Later, Misha developed his musical skills and began releasing more polished work—an ironic turn, since some of the audience that came to laugh at him lost interest once he became a more serious artist.

Justin Tsimbidis (Sim Fuckus)

Justin, who had progeria, originally made playful videos of himself dancing and talking to the camera. After his appearance drew mockery, 4chan users spread his information and flooded him with calls, leading him to delete his accounts.

Rumors that he had died followed, but he was alive, working, and pursuing his interests offline. Years later, he returned to social media and YouTube, posting about wrestling and Funko Pops. In a warm, self-deprecating interview, he said he regretted leaving the internet for so long. The narrator calls him one of the most laid-back people in the video.

Giovanna Plowman (“Tampon Girl”)

Giovanna became infamous after posting a shocking video involving a tampon, reportedly hoping to become Facebook-famous. The stunt brought a huge burst of attention, but also severe backlash, impersonation, and a death hoax—the narrator jokes that she did not die of “Ligma.”

Giovanna later said the experience cost her friends, disrupted school, and upset her family. She urged others not to copy her. The video’s authenticity remains uncertain, a mystery the narrator leaves open.

Rebecca Black

“Friday” became a viral sensation in 2011, mocked for its repetitive lyrics, awkward production, and singing. Rebecca was only 13, yet much of the criticism landed on her personally, leading to bullying at school and eventually homeschooling. The video also involved a dispute with Ark Music Factory over its rights.

Katy Perry later invited Rebecca into a music video in a gesture of support. Rebecca kept making music, gradually built a following on her own terms, and released her debut album a decade later. The recap frames her career as an unconventional comeback: the song that made her famous initially seemed to threaten her future in music.

MattyB

Matthew “MattyB” Morris started out as a child covering popular songs, with his cousin helping produce his videos. His youthful takes on adult lyrics became easy material for commentary channels, and he was mocked relentlessly.

When he tried to take down reaction videos through copyright claims, that response only intensified the attention. He later tweeted, “Spread love, not hate,” and joked about being sent to the principal’s office and grounded from the internet. Eventually, the commentary crowd moved on, while MattyB continued making music and grew into a more mature performer. The narrator’s takeaway is that engaging with detractors can make things worse.

Lil Tay

Lil Tay’s videos showed her flaunting luxury cars, homes, and money while calling herself the “youngest flexer of the century.” Her sudden rise drew questions about how much of the persona was really hers. Interviews and leaked footage suggested that her family—especially her older half-brother—helped script and manage the content.

Her social-media disappearance then became entangled in a custody dispute, competing allegations of abuse and exploitation, and claims that some posts had been hacked or staged. In 2023, a post falsely announced that Tay and her brother had died. Tay soon confirmed she was alive and blamed a hacker. She later returned with new music and disputed earlier accounts of the family conflict.

The video ends with her story still unsettled, including a cryptic post showing police at a property.

Overall Themes

The video contrasts different outcomes: some of the creators built careers or learned to embrace their internet histories, while others withdrew from public life. Its recurring point is that many of these targets were children, and online mockery could spill into their schools, families, and private lives.

Personalities Featured

• Host/narrator: Wavy Web Surf
• Creators and people discussed: Sammy Thomas (SammyClassicSonicFan), Misha and his brother Oldrich/Metadon, Justin Tsimbidis (Sim Fuckus), Giovanna Plowman, Rebecca Black, Matthew “MattyB” Morris, Lil Tay, Lil Tay’s mother Angela, and her half-brother Jason
• Other creators and public figures: PewDiePie, Chadtronic, LeafyIsHere, Pyrocynical, Ethan Klein (H3H3), Keemstar, RiceGum, Jake Paul, and Katy Perry