There seems to be nothing more exciting on the Internet than negative news drama.

Recently, a 19-year-old YouTuber named Marina Joyce became the talk of the town (the online town, that is) when a hashtag called #SaveMarinaJoyce surfaced on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media outlets. Confused? So was I. Who is Marina Joyce and why do we need to save her? The answers aren't as clear (or as much needed to be labeled as true "answers") as you might think.

What's going on?

On July 22, Marina Joyce posted a video called "Date Outfit Ideas" where she advertised dresses from an online store called "StyleWe." If you had never seen her videos before, she seems awkward and unsure, but nothing else seems to be out of the ordinary. Delve deeper, however, and uncover a world of conspiracy theories and deep-rooted concerns for Marina's well-being.

When watching this video a second time, I did notice that she is extremely dazed and confused. She blinks frequently and seems confused. Her fans have made assumptions of the following (all of which Marina has claimed to be untrue):

1. She is in an abusive relationship (and her boyfriend is running her YouTube page).

2. She is on drugs.

3. It's a publicity stunt.

4. She has mental issues.

5. She was kidnapped by ISIS (yes, this was a legitimate concern, more so [in my opinion] made up by the news media and not so much by Marina's fans).

My Original Thought

When I first started looking into this, I assumed it was a mental issue induced by drugs. She did look alarmed and scared throughout her most recent videos, and she seemed to be told what to say by someone behind the camera. Either she was being told what to say (by an abusive boyfriend, an ISIS member, or shockingly enough, her mom), or she was imagining that there was something behind the camera trying to scare her.

So I had reached the conclusion of schizophrenia. This was a conclusion reached by several of her fans, especially after the rumors from "friends" of Marina Joyce that she had been both struggling with drugs and she was undergoing a mental issue.

All of these theories, however, were quickly refuted in a key, succinct interview with YouTuber News Anchor Philip DeFranco, which you can watch here:

Now whether or not you believe her testimony is up to you, but personally, I believe that she is being genuine. Plus, when someone called the police, they visited her home and reported that she was fine.

Media Coverage

After the hashtag #SaveMarinaJoyce appeared on social media, within hours the Internet hit the fan with conspiracy theories, police phone calls, fake videos and audio clips of Marina Joyce asking for help, etc. Major news sources like Time, CNN, and even Cosmo have covered this story. Even Forbes put their hat in the ring.

Snopes has slowly been covering the facts presented in this conspiracy as well.

This issue on the table about this seemingly famous-over-night YouTuber (going from half a million subscribers to almost 1 million in 48 hours) is that any one of these theories (without the Marina Joyce constant refutations) could be true. The evidence is sparse, but the more you delve into the world of "What Happened to Marina Joyce," the more you'll start to suspect that these rumors are true.

The Benefits for Marina Joyce

I might seem a little cynical, and that is certainly not a smart road to traverse when there's a possibility that someone could very much be in danger, so let's just focus on the facts.

From this scandal, Marina Joyce has gained more attention on the internet than she had ever before. She is almost to 1 million subscribers, a feat she never could have imagined without this. She's also at half a million Twitter followers. It's highly doubtful, however, that she had planned for this in any way. If she is truly safe and sound, then this is simply an odd serendipity for her.

This increase in viewers could possibly be making her more nervous to perform well in her videos. She's expected to put out a certain amount of drama and update now. This anti-climatic ending of "nothing is wrong! I'm okay!" doesn't seem to be enough for the Internet, so Marina Joyce faces an interesting future.

So, what's really going on?

Here's the fun part regarding the conspiracy: no one really knows. Marina Joyce has repeatedly claimed to be okay, says she talked to her manager who told her to be careful about her hand gestures, and claims she thought she had been acting naturally in her seemingly odd videos that her fans have been raving about.

And yet fans are still not convinced that she's okay. They think she's being forced to lie or make up stories. However, her story about the bruises has been consistent, she seems to be fine without a script, and claimed the person behind the camera for some of her videos would be her mother, which is the most likely conclusion.

Then why aren't many assured?

There could be a massive superhero complex going on, where those on the Internet convince themselves something is wrong and are set to make it right. There's very little trust in anyone these days, especially when our government is becoming less and less of a trustworthy character.

There could also truly be something wrong with Marina Joyce. She could potentially be lying about being okay. She could have perhaps convinced the police that she was fine. There are so many what-if's that it will drive you insane and could (and has for many) keep you up all night with worry.

Still not convinced? Read a fellow Odyssey writer's view on what's going on and decide for yourself!