Man who was fired for ‘embarrassing’ internet history reveals shocking amount he earned from viral video
The man who was fired for his ‘embarrassing’ internet history has revealed the shocking amount he earned from his viral video.
A TikTok clip has circulated social media where Josh Williams claimed he’d lost his job after his company found his strange internet history.
The 26-year-old was still in his probationary period when his employer printed out his 50 hours worth of online searching.
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Williams had spent time looking on Google Images at photos of Simon Cowell and searched up questions like, ‘does turkey teeth hurt?’
According to Williams, he was struggling with the lack of tasks at work and searched things online to fill the time.
On TikTok, he said: “It was quite embarrassing but I felt like because I had been sacked, I'm going to put it online.
“I felt really rubbish. Obviously I'd spent all my savings going on holiday getting my teeth done to come back to no job.
“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.”
Now, Williams has revealed how much money he made from his viral moment, sharing with his followers that he’s made £450 ($599) in profit.
The Bristol-based TikToker went on to say: “It's not a life-changing amount, definitely not. But it's the majority of my rent.
“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.
“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 also said that his digital footprint has cost him other jobs, claiming that he’d been turned down for three similar 9-to-5 roles after they recognized him from his viral video.
Williams continued: “Basically saying ‘we've seen your TikTok and we think you're sh*t and we're not having you here’ in other words.
“It really did backlash on me. I'm in a job now that I don't like at all, it's not me.”
He added: “So yeah it was a silly thing to do, going forwards I hopefully maybe would have learned my lesson.”