HeyJaredI Read it on the Internet
Uncover the weirdest, wildest, and most bizarre corners of the internet. From strange articles to outlandish stories, we bring you the craziest reads you won’t believe are real.
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 5
- Latest publication
- Sep 18, 2026
- Audience
- Checking…
- Earliest in this view
- Jul 16, 2026
Latest episodes
6 Online Communities That Solved Real Crimes Before the Police (opens the original)
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From Reddit detectives tracking down hit-and-run drivers to 4chan users locating stolen property, the internet has occasionally gotten crime-solving right. We're counting down six times online communities actually helped law enforcement close cases—and examining what made these digital investigations succeed where others have failed so spectacularly.
The Slenderman Stabbing: How a Creepypasta Became a Crime Scene (opens the original)
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In May 2014, two Wisconsin girls lured their friend into the woods and stabbed her 19 times—all to appease a faceless monster they'd discovered on the internet. This is the story of how Slenderman, a creature born from a Photoshop contest on Something Awful forums, escaped the screen and became evidence in a real criminal trial that forced America to confront the power of online mythology.
Tumblr vs. 4chan: When Two Internet Cultures Went to War (opens the original)
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In July 2014, two vastly different internet subcultures collided in what became known as the 'Tumblr-4chan raids'—a bizarre digital war involving porn bombs, doxing attempts, and a fundamental clash of values. We explore how this conflict revealed the fault lines that would define online culture for years to come, and why both sides claimed victory in a battle with no clear winner.
7 Websites That Accidentally Became Time Capsules (opens the original)
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Before Web 2.0, before mobile optimization, before anyone knew what SEO meant—there were websites built by enthusiasts who just... never looked back. We're counting down seven perfectly preserved relics of the early internet that are still live today, complete with dancing baby animations, guest books, and 'Under Construction' GIFs. These aren't archived—they're still running exactly as they were in 1997.
The eBay Stalking Scandal: When a Tech Giant Went After a Blogger (opens the original)
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In 2019, Ina and David Steiner wrote critical articles about eBay on their newsletter site. What happened next sounds like fiction: live spiders and cockroaches delivered to their home, threatening messages, and surveillance by eBay's own security team. This is the story of how corporate intimidation went catastrophically wrong, leading to federal charges and prison sentences for multiple executives.
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