Employee Fired for Googling 'Stupid Things' During Work Hours, Shares Regret in Viral Video

A recent viral video of a man claiming he was fired for googling “stupid things” at work has sparked widespread attention online.

The 26-year-old, Josh Williams, revealed that he was called into a meeting with his boss and reprimanded for browsing irrelevant topics on his work computer. Shortly after, he was let go from his position as a customer service administrator, only three months into the role.

What Was He Searching?

According to reports, Williams had been searching for terms like “Turkey teeth” and “Simon Cowell’s botched Botox” during office hours.

“I wasn’t being given enough tasks to do, and I found myself with a lot of downtime. Out of boredom, I started googling random things on the company computer,” Williams explained in an interview with a leading media outlet.

“It was just mindless stuff like Simon Cowell’s botched Botox. It was embarrassing to get caught. I felt awful, especially since I had just used up my savings on a holiday and dental work, only to come back and lose my job,” he added.

Financial Struggles and TikTok Fame

After being fired, Williams faced significant financial difficulties. "Without my job, I couldn’t pay my rent, and bills started piling up. With no income, I turned to TikTok and posted the video explaining my situation,” he shared.

Despite facing backlash, the video eased some of his financial burden, helping him clear a debt of 450 euros (INR 50,000).

"I received a lot of hate in the comments, but I kept the video up because it was earning money. Eventually, I had to stop reading the criticism to avoid feeling even worse,” he admitted.

Williams also expressed regret over keeping the video online. "A couple of days after posting it, I wanted to delete it. But I needed the income, so I decided to leave it up.”