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26-year-old fired for Googling ‘stupid things’ instead of working. No, it’s not pornography

A man claimed he was fired for Googling “stupid things” for 50 hours, adding he regrets his “heat-of-the-moment” behaviour.

Published on: Oct 2, 2024, 06:41:46 IST
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“Stupid ways to get fired,” is what some people are saying after a TikTok video of a man went viral. The man claimed he was laid off from his job for Googling “stupid things” on his work computer. Reportedly, the 26-year-old was called by his boss and lectured about searching for unnecessary things during his work hours. Subsequently, he was fired from his job as a customer service administrator, three months after he joined.

What did he search on Google?

The image shows 26-year-old Josh Willams, who got fired for Googling “stupid things” during work. (Unsplash/firmbee, Screengrab)
The image shows 26-year-old Josh Willams, who got fired for Googling “stupid things” during work. (Unsplash/firmbee, Screengrab)

Josh Williams searched for things like “Turkey teeth” and "Simon Cowell's botched Botox", reported the Mirror. His “heat-of-the-moment” behaviour reportedly impacted his prospect of finding a new job.

“I felt really rubbish”

"It had come to the point where the workload for myself just wasn't enough for me. I just didn't have any work given to me so I found myself googling on the company computer,” Williams told the outlet.

Also Read: Tech CEO claims he trains his managers to fire workers: 'I am really good at firing'

"Obviously my rent wasn't being paid because I lost my job, I had no income coming in. I got behind on my bills I got behind on my rent. I knew I had no income coming in so I thought the only other source I've got is TikTok so that's why I decided to put it up on there,” he said, adding that he used his savings to get Turkey teeth procedure before joining the job from which he was later fired.

Reportedly, his financial burden eased a little after he made around £450 ( 50,000) from the video he posted on TikTok.

Also Read: Techie claims company fired him, demanded 3 months' salary: 'CEO refused my resignation

"I received a lot of hateful criticism but as I said it was the income that it was gaining what made me keep it up. I suppose when you post I suppose you've got to expect some sort of criticism but obviously it made me feel quite rubbish but I stopped reading them after a while to stop it from getting to me," Williams continued.

"I massively regret keeping the video up now. I think the sort of two days after posting it I wanted to delete it but I wanted the money so I kept it up there,” he added.

What is he doing now?

As Williams shared with the outlet, he is now employed as a supply chain coordinator in the food industry. However, he is passionate about creating content and wants to pursue a career in this field.

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Trisha Sengupta

Trisha Sengupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of digital newsroom experience. Specialising in high-engagement storytelling, she blends viral trends with traditional journalism to cover the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. Her reporting spans real estate and personal finance struggles in hubs like Bengaluru and Gurgaon, the NRI experience, and corporate shifts like tech layoffs. Trisha also frequently tracks global figures and writes human interest stories. Offline, Trisha is an avid reader, history enthusiast and solo traveler. She balances her journalism career with family life while actively integrating AI tools into her modern storytelling approach.

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Discover the latest Trending News, viral videos, social media stories and unusual events from India and around the world. Stay updated with the topics everyone is talking about.
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