PLANKING! – Has the internet craze taken a crazy turn?

By Kiran

A recent craze has taken over the internet and social networking sites, where people are taking pictures lying face down with their arms by their sides and toes pointed towards the ground in unusual public places, posting them on the internet. This may seem like a harmless fad but this ‘fun’ has created uproar with celebrities and police officers as people are placing themselves in dangerous situations as they become more competitive.

Has it gone too far?

This bizarre internet craze took its first victim in May 2011. Acton Beale plunged to his death after attempting to plank on the 7^th floor balcony of a block of flats. He was said to have attempted this high risk move after a night out, lost his footing, falling seven stories to his death. It is tragic that the twenty two year old lost his life by attempting what began as a harmless prank.

“In some circumstances planking can be fairly harmless, but as people become more competitive and try more obscure and difficult episodes of planking – which inevitably lead to greater levels of risk – then we remain concerned that this is the sort of thing that will eventuate and no-one wants to see that”, as said by Mr Barnett, a Deputy Police Commissioner.

Is there a hidden message?

Many people have tweeted and blogged about the craze and its connection with black slavery. American Rapper Xzibit unimpressed by the new phenomenon tweeted “Planking was a way to transport slaves on ships during the slave trade, it’s not funny. Educate yourselves.”

“I did a little research and it revealed that slaves were chained and attached to ‘plank’ beds. They were forced to lay face down with their arms by their side and their wrist chained to their waist”, wrote blogger Courtney Love.

“Some were even stacked on top of each other with no room to move. Keep in mind there were not any restrooms and they were exposed to bodily fluids, etc. Not many of the slaves survived, many dying from dehydration and disease.”  Courtney continues her outrage, “You can’t always jump on the bandwagon just because you saw someone else. Everything has a hidden meaning. Cultural sensitivity is real. Yes, it may be fun for now but it is an insult to some. Although ‘planking’ wasn’t the official terminology used by slave masters it is still seen as an insult to some African Americans”, she added.

The fad is said to be based on the lying down game invented in the UK 14 years ago. It was reborn this year in Australia and spread rapidly over the world through social networking sites and the internet.

[This Moring hosts Jenni Falconer and Phillip Schofield have even got in on the act]