YouTube Star Nil Ojeda vs Alicante Town Council

Meet Nil Ojeda, a 25-year-old influencer from Madrid who has built up quite a following on social media platforms.

According to the latest figures, he has amassed around  4.4 million YouTube subscribers and has managed to turn himself into an online star.  This is all thanks to his ‘intriguing’ mix of challenges, opulent experiences, and videos that showcase extravagant online purchases. In 2020, he even published a book entitled ‘Be Yourself’.

Nil Ojeda’s fake drowning challenge angers Alicante Town Council

Now it would seem that he has taken his challenges a step too far and landed himself in hot water (excuse the pun) with Alicante Town Council.  For a reason I can’t fathom, he thought it would be fun to challenge people to act like they were drowning in front of lifeguards.

Moreover, the individuals who took up this challenge were so eager to impress and win prizes that they were a little too believable.  So much so that they actually caused lifeguards to have to leave their posts several times to deal with what they believed to be a genuine cry for help.

Incidents of fake drowning occurred at Postiguet and San Juan beaches in Alicante last July and then again in Guardamar de Segura in August.  This has led to two individuals being fined for this behaviour; not the prize they were hoping for I’m sure!

Alicante Town Council believe Nil Ojeda committed a criminal act

Such is the seriousness of these incidents that Alicante Town Council’s legal department has determined that Ojeda’s actions in inciting this behaviour may constitute a criminal act, specifically ‘simulating danger and unjustifiably mobilising emergency services’.

They also consider that his activities may have violated regional and municipal entertainment laws.  Additionally, the national ‘influencer law’ which prohibits the incitement of criminal behaviour through audiovisual communication.

Alicante Town Council seek to shut down Nil Ojeda’s YouTube channel

In response, Alicante Town Council is pushing to shut down Ojeda’s YouTube and other social media channels and advocating for criminal charges against him for breaching laws related to public safety, hazardous activities in public spaces, and incitement to commit crimes via online platforms.

I am sure that this is one challenge that he didn’t see coming, and now it remains to be seen if the Town Council will be successful in their bid to shut him down or if this will add to his appeal and lead to even more subscribers.

Over to you: Is this an overreaction on the Town Council’s part, or are they right to try to shut him down?