My cousin asked me to stage a viral reaction video for her new pet hamster

It felt wrong to trick people just for views, but I didn't want to hurt her feelings either. Has anyone else been put in a spot like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

thomas.parker1mo ago

My cousin staged a hamster video that got 50k views last summer. Honestly, most viral content is set up anyway, so it's not really tricking people. Tbh, helping family out is more important than being totally honest online. Ngl, those views could make her happy and even encourage her to care for the pet better. In the end, it's just a bit of fun and nobody gets hurt.

the_parker1mo agoMost Upvoted

Ever worry it teaches your cousin that fake stuff gets rewarded? Might make her chase views over real moments later.

faith2741mo ago

That line about chasing views over real moments hits home. I see it at the dentist's office all the time, parents handing their crying toddler a phone for a video instead of just comforting them. The moment becomes about getting a cute reaction clip, not the kid's feelings. It trains all of us, especially kids, to see our own lives as content first. The hamster video is harmless, but that habit of staging life for an audience really adds up.