September 1st 2024.
Have you ever watched a video on social media that made you question what you would do in a difficult situation? Maybe it was one of those so-called 'social experiments' that seem to be everywhere these days. They often involve someone pretending to be in trouble or danger, just to see how bystanders will react. It's a phenomenon that has been around for over a decade, but it has exploded in popularity recently, especially on platforms like TikTok.
One such video, created by @andr3w_wave, shows a man 'kidnapping' a young boy in public to see how people will respond. Another video by Matthew Bandeira has hit over 50 million views. These videos, and many others like them, pose moral dilemmas that viewers have to consider. Will they put themselves in danger to intervene? Or will they call the police? Or will they assume it's all just a prank and continue with their day?
But it's not just kidnapping scenarios that these social experiments focus on. Some creators pretend to be blind or in need of help, just to see if anyone will lend a hand. Others even go as far as pretending to spike their date's drink to test if someone will stop them. And perhaps most disturbingly, some videos show people pretending to attempt suicide just to see if anyone will try to save them.
Creators of these videos often claim that they are trying to bring attention to important issues, but clinical psychologist Dr Daniel Glazier believes that they are also creating a dangerous culture of inaction. By publicly shaming those who don't react or intervene, these videos are desensitizing people to real emergencies that may be happening around them. People have become skeptical and hesitant to get involved, not knowing what might be a genuine emergency and what is just a staged prank.
Dr Glazier also points out the ethical concerns of these videos, as they often involve emotional manipulation and lack of consent from the people involved. And the online reaction to those who don't intervene, despite the events being fake, is also a cause for concern. It's a real-life version of 'the boy who cried wolf,' and it can have serious consequences for both the victims of these pranks and the bystanders who don't know if they should get involved.
The trend of social experiments began in 2014, with a video showing a woman being harassed on the streets of New York. It aimed to shed light on the daily street harassment that women face. But since then, these videos have become more and more extreme, with creators trying to outdo each other for views and likes.
But it's not just about desensitizing the public and the lack of consent. There's also the issue of the bystander effect - the theory that the more people who are present in an emergency situation, the less likely it is that someone will help. This was famously demonstrated in the 1964 murder of Kitty Genovese, where 38 people witnessed the attack but did nothing to help. Although the bystander effect has been disputed, studies have shown that people are more likely to intervene when they are alone compared to when they are in a group.
And things can go wrong in these staged scenarios, as seen in a video where a man pretending to kidnap a young girl was confronted by someone who threatened to shoot him. The potential for danger and harm is a real concern, and some viewers have even called for these videos to be banned.
But perhaps the biggest issue with these social experiments is the insensitivity towards real-world issues that have affected many people's lives. Is it really appropriate to pretend to be suicidal or blind just for the sake of views and likes? Dr Glazier believes that the creative energy behind these videos could be better channeled into educational campaigns that promote active community engagement and support.
In the end, it's important to remember that these videos may seem like harmless pranks, but they can have serious consequences. It's up to us as viewers to be critical and responsible with the content we consume and to think about the potential impact it may have on others. Let's use social media for good and not for creating dangerous and insensitive trends.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
