Internet Screamers, also known as Jumpscares, are practical jokes that are meant to scare the viewer by abruptly flashing a disturbing image or playing a loud, frightening noise. Screamers are often used as a bait and switch type of trolling in online forums.
Origin[]
The term screamer, also and now more commonly referred to as a jumpscare, is used to describe a game, video, website, or program, that makes the user concentrate on the screen, which may happen in many ways, and then has a sudden unexpected change that is intended to scare or startle the viewers.
Most of these screamers use scary images and loud sounds or screams to increase the effect (hence the name screamer). Some examples of screamers are The Maze by Jeremy Winterrowd, Anne.jpg, Ghost Caught on Tape, What's Wrong? and the K-fee commercials. Screamers often have a scary image and a loud scream, per example, Regan MacNeil from the 1973's classic horror movie The Exorcist. Horror films or games are not considered screamers since the users already know they will get scared. In some cases, they have startling or disgusting images, and these are called shock sites. They can also be considered screamers since they do surprise the user.
See Also[]
The Maze
Regan MacNeil
K-fee commercials