2016

2016 marks the first traces of the so-called “premium version called WhatsApp Gold,” based on user reports.

2017

In 2017, a Spanish version of the message was identified, but no evidence of the existence of this video could be found.

2019

In 2019, the Australian cybercrime unit issued a warning against clicking on any links that could redirect users to fake websites, using the well-known phishing technique.

This warning should be taken into account on a daily basis, for every email. One should never click directly on links; it is preferable to go directly to the relevant website to look for the information mentioned in the email. This is the basic rule for any informed internet user.

2020

In 2020, the message resurfaced on a massive scale, but in a different form. The threat was called Martinelli, and it was claimed to cause irreparable damage to a smartphone once viewed. The recipient of the message was therefore urged to forward the information as quickly as possible to their contacts.

2021

In 2021, as stated on the website https://safeonweb.be/ :

2025

In 2025, the hoax resurfaced through eCop François, the most digital of the Swiss Romandy police officers. The Deputy Chief Inspector of the Vaud Cantonal Police reassured people with humor regarding this alarming message:

Translation :

"It’s a message that serves no purpose; it just scares people.

As stated on the site Whatson.ch, it has been proven that WhatsApp Gold and its so-called Martinelli video do not exist.

However, it is advisable to follow their recommendation: “While everyone agrees on the worthlessness of this threat, as the Vaud police remind us, you should ‘delete it and inform the person’ who sent you this video to prevent its spread. Because, although the message itself is harmless, cybercriminals could exploit its virality to target the most gullible, and/or add a malicious link, which this time could truly compromise your device.”

2026

2026: the information has been updated, now claiming that the video will be released on Friday, January 23, 2026.

From Whatsapp to Nalanda 2.0

The alert is like a veil; it is an illusion constructed by our fears and projections.

It seems real, captures our attention, triggers reactions, but has no independent substance.

It is clear that 21st-century yogis have twice the work of the original Nalanda practitioners!

Indeed, they now have to navigate a double illusion, a double field of practice.

On one side, the classic veils of ego, attachment, and aversion.
On the other, the digital veils: constant notifications, alarmist alerts, viral rumors, and artificial panic.

A sort of Nalanda 2.0, where illusions appear at every ping.

Thus, while the path to awakening can already seem laborious and endless — so much to deconstruct in our mental patterns — the task now becomes nearly twice as arduous.

So what to do ?

Therefore, it is better to laugh than to get swept away by these daily little dramas and add fuel to the fire of digital hoaxes.

Let us approach it with humor and detachment. Check every source before spreading false information. And let’s have a wink for the original author, who for the past ten years has probably been laughing at the world flailing over a few baseless words… without, of course, losing sight of the very real risks—an excellent way to cultivate our vigilance in both 1.0 and 2.0 😄