YouTuber’s viral video of 'zombie-like people' on San Francisco streets sparks online debate

A YouTuber’s viral video of 'zombie-like people' on San Francisco streets sparks widespread debate.

YouTuber Ishan Sharma recently shared a video on social media capturing "zombie-like people walking on the streets" of San Francisco, highlighting the city's ongoing issues with homelessness, drug addiction, and public safety. The video has gained significant attention online.  

Sharma, who has over 1.5 million subscribers on YouTube, uploaded the video to X with the caption: "It breaks my heart watching this. This is San Francisco. The tech capital of America. Home to the world's brightest minds. AND the biggest tech companies."  

The footage shows individuals on the streets appearing to be unconscious or struggling to move.  

Describing San Francisco as "the most unsafe place" he has ever visited, Sharma wrote: "Half of the streets are filled with homeless, mentally unstable, high on drugs, or a combination of all. Gun violence and car break-ins are so common. Theft is at an all-time high. Zombie-like people walking on the streets. It is the utopia of tech capitalism gone wrong. Why can't this be fixed?"  

The video has sparked a range of responses on social media, with many users discussing the city’s diminishing reputation as a tech hub. One commenter, Abhishek Shaw, stated, "No, it’s not the tech capital anymore; most of them have already shifted to Austin, Texas." Another user asked, "Why aren't they inside prisons or rehab centers?" Others referred to the video as a "reality check" and "scary," while some speculated about the mental health of those featured in the footage.  

San Francisco’s homelessness crisis has been a topic of debate for years. Last month, Tesla CEO Elon Musk shared his own experiences, describing encounters with “violent, drug zombies” on the city’s streets during an interview.