Turtles saved from an invasion of crustaceans, a gibbon that escapes the grip of a python, or even a ray that smiles when tickled! Behind these videos that have millions of views, hides a sad reality. With OhMyFake, we explain the animal abuse that reigns on social networks. It makes sense, because what we see there is impressive.
On one of these videos, it is written “I help this sea turtle to get rid of its barnacles”. Barnacles are the parasitic crustaceans that can be seen on the turtle’s shell. And indeed throughout the video we can see a man tearing them off with a knife. Presented like that, we think it’s a beautiful rescue video of an animal in danger, and we understand that it is so popular. The problem is that what you see is not at all what you think you see!
This week, Oh My Fake has decided to reveal the other side of these click videos, and above all, inform you of the fake hidden there.
Be strong against fake news
Oh My Fake on Snapchat Discoverthis is the program of 20 minutes which makes you strong against fake news, and more broadly invites you to understand the springs and psychological biases that encourage sharing and virality. Beyond knowing if “It’s true or it’s false”, the important thing is rather to understand “Why did we believe it? », by analyzing the mechanisms that make rumours, often fake, attractive to the point that even seasoned minds – like yours! – can succumb to it.