To get an error message on any website is not a very pleasing welcome but technical glitches too cannot be cent per cent avoided. At times when there is some internet problem or a fault from the website itself, you are flashed with some error messages. While those itself are disappointing the one used by BBC are terrifying people. The BBC News website flashes a clown at a backdrop of a burning flame and looks creepy to be pasted on an error message. Instead of informing of the error at the site's end, the clown scares some of the users.
The very same clown has been an iconic card of the BBC for their TV programming. The channel has been using the error test card with the clown for decades but on the TV screen, it shows accompanying a girl playing noughts and crosses, which is a rather friendly vision. For the website, however, the flaming backdrop gives the creeps. People on social media were expressing the scary sentiment they shared on seeing the clown on the error message.
Take a look at how Twitterati reacted to the scary clown on BBC's error message:
Is it just me or does the image on the crashed BBC website look just a little bit menacing? pic.twitter.com/mypvvTPWIP
— London John #FBPE (@ProudLondoner05) July 26, 2018
Is there an apocalypse at the BBC?
@bbc website down and this apocalyptic clown is filling in for now. pic.twitter.com/jKggYZgZ4w
— Sid Peacock (@sid1307) July 26, 2018
The Freaky clowns' here to stay
Just when you thought the BBC was safe from freaky clowns... pic.twitter.com/841PmBluQH
— Michael Sumner (@TheSumnersTale) July 26, 2018
A few years back people expressed the same concern
Loving @BBCNews terrifying website error message. The fiery clown apocalypse is evidently nigh. pic.twitter.com/0VufX6sBMN
— Dr Kate Devlin (@drkatedevlin) March 14, 2015
The same thoughts have been expressed in the past but the channel doesn't seem to want to change it. During an error back in 2015, people were speculating it was some hacker trying to mess with the audience. People have been calling the clown as 'demonic' and well, it does look like one. What do you think about this supposed error message mascot used by the reputed site? Do you find it just funny or equally creepy?
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 26, 2018 06:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).