Posted by The name Video 1444 refers to a video that first appeared on 17 October 2019 in a livestream on VKontakte, the most popular social network in Russia and the former Soviet republics.
Video 1444
The video shows the suicide of an 18-year-old Russian man, broadcast live. After it was streamed on VK, some users saved it and spread it online, first on VKontakte, then on Telegram and even on YouTube. Despite attempts to remove it, every time it is taken down another copy pops up.
Besides the tragic act itself, there is another macabre side to it. Video 1444 is sent through messaging apps with no warning about its content, so that unsuspecting users open it, named only “video 1444”, and find themselves watching, against their will, a young man’s death.
The “curse” of video 1444
As if the video and the way it is spread were not macabre enough, someone also invented a curse, in the style of an urban legend or creepypasta. Since the video began trending, the legend claims it brings bad luck and that the only way to ward it off is to write some form of the date 20 October 2019, for example 20-10-2019. Of course it is just a chain message, but behind it is a real person who really died, and a family that lost a son.
Why you shouldn’t look for it
The video has been removed from the main websites but still circulates. My advice is simple: if someone sends you a file called “1444”, don’t open it, and don’t look for it. There is no mystery to uncover, only the pain of a young man and his family.
If you are going through a difficult time or having thoughts of harming yourself, you don’t have to face it alone: talk to someone you trust, or contact a helpline in your country (you can find one at findahelpline.com). In an emergency, call your local emergency number.
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