In viral videos, content creators film themselves surprising strangers with toys, food and wads of cash – whether they like it or not
Dr Crystal Abidin, a digital anthropologist at Curtin University, says viewers of these viral videos benefit “at the expense of the receiver”, who is usually positioned in a less positive light.
“It’s the money shot,” she says. “The one moment of charity that runs and re-loops, tugging at the heartstrings.”TOM, a Sydney based TikTok user, has almost 7 million social media followers and more than 200m likes for his “kyndness” content, which features so-called selfless acts, such as giving away items, complimenting “fits” and learning how to do eyebrow extensions for his girlfriend.
“In the comments, there’s an overtly positive, optimistic tone about how it’s a good trend. It doesn’t leave space for reflection, or for people who may not want to receive these handouts or this type of help publicly. “We don’t know if they feel embarrassment or humiliation because that’s how video is framed without much further context.”People experiencing homelessness are often the targets of donors in viral content, who use hashtags like #foryou, #give and #homeless.in front of people, then, if they attempt to return it, he gives them additional notes.
In other videos, he gives out food, and hides cash in a convenience store he appears to work at, or challenges customers to respond to maths questions correctly to“She Said She Didn’t Eat For 2 Days So I Let Her Pick Whatever She Wants And Gave Her $100,” is the caption of one video with more than
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