Social media users and conspiracy theories go together like peanut butter and jelly, so when YouTuber Marina Joyce went missing recently, you can imagine the social media shitstorm that erupted soon after.
ICYMI, Joyce broke the Internet in 2016 when her nervous and erratic YouTube videos had millions of subscribers thinking she may have been kidnapped and was being made to film against her will. In the video, the then 19-year-old YouTuber appeared to have bruises on her arms and whisper “help me,” which only fuelled speculations of abuse.
But that was just the tip of the conspiracy theory iceberg.
The hashtag #SaveMarinaJoyce went viral, with fans suspecting she had been kidnapped by ISIS, was dealing with serious mental health issues, or drug addiction. The social media frenzy escalated to the point that authorities became involved and paid her a visit to assure fans she was safe.
Weeks later, Joyce caused another controversy when she asked followers to call her “Goddess Marina” and claimed she’d “found secrets about the afterlife.” She said “I know that I can still contact humans during the afterlife,” and said she wanted to create a temple and shrine when she would spend time drawing, meditating, and “finding [people] extreme spiritual help and guidance.”
It’s been a few years since then, but Joyce has landed herself in the trending section once again after she was reported missing on August 7.
Just as social media users and YouTube subscribers began to speculate, Joyce’s boyfriend Brandon Mehmed confirmed she was found “safe and well.” In a tweet Mehmed wrote, “This is a temporary post to send a message to everyone worried for Marina.”
“Everything is being dealt with in a professional manner. Please don’t worry about her as she is safe and well (you have my word for that). Also everyone who thinks I’m acting “suspicious” are only misinformed and don’t know me at all,” he wrote.
Joyce is yet to confirm the news herself, but it appears that the Internet has already run wild with a fresh batch of new theories. We’ll be staying tuned for the video.
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