2020

2020 was the year Daniel was discovered.

Daniel’s emergence began in March, shortly after he created a TikTok account where he frequently showcased life inside his disability housing. As the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, he began posting more frequently, gradually gaining attention for his unusual appearance and erratic behavior—most notably performing Jumping Jacks in tribute to George Floyd. By summer, Daniel announced his Presidential Campaign, earning him the nickname “Mr. President.” This opened the door for fake management companies to exploit his naivety. Around this time, he released a song titled Fake News.

In the fall, Daniel moved in with a caretaker named Dawn, who had two children; Breanna and her brother. He would often post videos with them during this time. This period marked the beginning of what would later become a long series of disturbing incidents. The first Daniel Larson Incident came during a Zoom call, where Daniel was seen fondling himself in front of 25 people. In November, his Pinterest account was leaked, exposing deeply personal and pedophilic content. Daniel vanished from the internet shortly afterward, remaining offline until his return in March the following year.

March

Main Article: March 2020

Daniel Larson made his grand entrance into the public internet awareness with the launch of his TikTok account under the handle daniellarsonfans. His initial rise in visibility can largely be attributed to the viral spread of his "Good night everyone" video, which served as a catalyst for broader recognition across the platform. Concurrently, as the COVID-19 pandemic began to impact Denver, Daniel's content increasingly shifted focus toward personal updates concerning his housing situation, in addition to frequent musical performances. This period marked the inception of his sustained online presence and the development of his unique digital persona.

April

Main Article: April 2020

Daniel continued to post regularly on both TikTok and Twitter, with much of his content focused on his delusional claims of being a model for IMG Models. These posts often included selfies, vague updates about his “career,” and declarations about his supposed success in the fashion industry. He also posted about how he wants to be a singer-songwriter and a famous celebrity.

May

Main Article: May 2020

Daniel began posting videos featuring children who lived with him in his housing situation, which raised concerns among viewers early on. He was living in the green room. This month also marked a turning point in his online presence as his popularity began to increase. Amid the George Floyd protests, Daniel attempted to insert himself into the national conversation by posting a video doing jumping jacks “for George Floyd” and stating, “we are all equal,” showcasing his typical mix of performative activism and bizarre behavior.

June

Main Article: June 2020

In June 2020, Daniel continued to post regularly without many notable posts while living in the green bedroom. However, he posted the jumping jacks video again, and often talked about "The Riots".

July

Main Article: July 2020

Daniel announced that he would be running for president in the 2020 elections, marking a turning point. This announcement led to him gaining the infamous nickname "Mr. President," which would become a recurring part of his identity. Throughout the month, he began explaining what he would do as president, blending delusional political statements with his usual content, further boosting his notoriety and attention online.

August

Main Article: August 2020

Fake record companies began reaching out to Daniel, offering him fake deals and promises of fame. While these groups did not appear to have any malicious intent, the interactions highlighted just how easily Daniel could be manipulated into believing false narratives or taking certain actions. This marked an early turning point in the community's understanding of how gullible Daniel was to influence, foreshadowing many future incidents involving fake management and manipulation in the years to come. The videos Daniel made during this time were notably referred to as the "Fog", as his camera was very blurry, which would continue into November.

September

Main Article: September 2020

Daniel's popularity continued to grow, reaching 1,000,000 views on TikTok.

October

Main Article: October 2020

Daniel had amassed tens of thousands of followers and was living in housing provided by a woman named Dawn, who had two children, including one named Breanna. He frequently went live with the children and posted videos involving them, which quickly raised concerns within the online community. Most notably, this month marked the very first major Daniel Larson incident, in which he stripped nude and touched himself during a Zoom meeting, setting a precedent for the disturbing behavior that would follow months later. In response to growing public attention and concern, the subreddit r/Daniellarson was created. He released his first song, "Fake News" on the 31st.

November

Main Article: November 2020

Daniel’s situation began to take a darker turn. Individuals claiming to be his “management” began manipulating him, coercing him into saying offensive slurs and dueting videos of underage girls on TikTok. His bizarre “fog” videos also continued throughout the month. However, the most significant event came when Daniel’s Pinterest account was discovered, which was filled with pedophilic images of underage girls. The community reacted with immediate concern and outrage. A Zoom meeting was held to confront Daniel about the Pinterest, during which he denied ownership, though the account was taken down shortly after. Following this incident, Daniel's content output began to noticeably decline.

December

Main Article: December 2020

Following the fallout from the leaked Pinterest account, Daniel was interviewed by the The Delegation Podcast to address the growing controversy. During this time, he was also reported to the FBI due to the pedophilic content discovered on his Pinterest. Facing mounting backlash and growing scrutiny, Daniel went completely offline this month, marking the beginning of a prolonged absence that would last until March of the following year.