![]() Whilst we outline one example of manipulation above, there are plenty more. Such a large following can then be exchanged for money, or used to launch more sinister scams. We discuss like-farming in more detail here, but it essentially refers to Pages on social media that accumulate followers via a constant barrage of posts that exploit, deceive and manipulate in order to build a large following. Such posts are a favourite for like-farming Facebook Pages looking to accumulate Likes and Followers through manipulation and deception. This is something that can potentially distract from genuinely helpful charitable causes.īut these posts often delve into even darker motives still, and that comes in the form of like-farming. This leads the subject to believe that they have helped when they haven’t. Not only that, but this is a classic case of extreme slacktivism, or “armchair activism” whereas the subject is instructed to help a cause by engaging in activities that are neither demanding in time nor cost, but also do very little to actually help the cause. Well, to be more concise, it’s plain wrong. This type of presumption is of course baseless, arrogant and ignorant. The author of the message has presumed that the 99% of people who apparently ignore the message do so not because they identify it as a shallow attempt at emotional manipulation – but because they do not identify with the cause outlined in the message. The author of this message undeservedly and unjustly assumes the right to denounce strangers as heartless because they fail to perform a trivial, arbitrary task, like sharing a post on Facebook. Of course this presents an obvious problem. If you belong to the 99% of people who apparently will not repost the image, well… then according to the message, you have no heart. As is common with these types of posts, the author has taken it upon themselves to explain to you, the reader, that you have to repost their image so as to show that you are against bullying. Certainly not what you ought to be doing. Probably not what you thought you were doing. Not only that, but you’re also contributing to the alarming trend of armchair “slacktivism” (more on that below,) and if that wasn’t bad enough, you are most likely helping some Facebook like-farming spammers make some easy money. And by posting or sharing it, you’re exploiting your friends. In reality you’re participating in a little Internet emotional extortion. ![]() Images like the one below are a common fixture on social networking websites. You’re not conveying your disgust of homophobia or racism.ĭespite your good intent, you’re not actually doing any of these things. You’re not expressing your anger against vicious diseases like cancer. You’re not showing your support for anti-bullying. Please note that articles on this site may contain affiliate links.
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