The ice bucket challenge returns over a decade later - but it's not without controversy

The ice bucket challenge is back, 11 years after its original viral moment—but not without controversy.

Back in 2014, people challenged each other to post a video of themselves getting a bucket of ice chucked over their head and donate to charity, specifically the ALS Foundation.

At the time, this helped to spread awareness of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal type of motor neuron disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to the progressive loss of motor neurons.

Celebrities such as Oprah, Bill Gates, Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber and LeBron James all posted videos of themselves doing the Ice Bucket challenge.

In total, it was completed by over 17 million people and raised a whopping $115 million for The ALS Association.

Over a decade later, the challenge has been reignited by students at the University of South Carolina who have launched the #SpeakYourMIND ice bucket challenge.

It's essentially the same challenge, but this time it's to raise money for the youth mental health nonprofit Active Minds.

Wade Jefferson, Sophomore at USC and Founder of the MIND club, said in a statement that the challenge was “inspired by the original ALS and how powerful that movement was."

So far, celebrities such as Peyton Manning, Emmanuel Sanders, James Charles and Haley Baylee have participated in the trend this time around.

However, there has been some backlash over this, with people saying that this new ice bucket challenge takes the attention and awareness away from ALS, as the ALS Foundation were the originator of the challenge.

TikToker @1223.babe posted: "Mental health awareness is great, but there's a lot of other mental health awareness on the internet, and this was the only thing that brought attention to ALS."

"Imagine having ALS and watching your only viral moment get ripped off. Love the cause, hate the copy. The ice bucket challenge is for ALS," another TikToker @amandatam00 posted.

In the caption, she added: "As someone living with ALS, the USC Mind repurposing the Ice Bucket Challenge for their own campaign feels like a slap in the face. This challenge was our moment. Mental health is important. So is not stealing someone else’s awareness campaign."

Now, the ALS Foundation have also spoken out about the new ice bucket challenge in a recent post with a bucket that has "ALS Association" on it with the text "Remember who you are" above it as various clips from the original challenge played.

"The Ice Bucket Challenge started with ALS. We remember who we are — and we won’t stop until there’s a cure. Raise your bucket and join us," the caption read.

"Bring back the ALS ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE!" one commenter wrote in agreement.

Another similarly added: "Let’s be clear. It’s the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. It’s not for “ALS & mental health.”

Elsewhere, the highs and lows of the ALS ice bucket challenge, and watch the amazing moment when the creator of the Ice Bucket Challenge regains his voice.

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