What About the Cats?
Welcome
The sorry state of discourse on the Internet has many causes, and the experts have offered many solutions for the mess. One of the biggest problems is the way that social media platforms reward engagement.
Dear Reader,
The sorry state of discourse on the Internet has many causes, and the experts have offered many solutions for the mess. One of the biggest problems is the way that social media platforms reward engagement. You get shown different content depending on what you click on. For instance, you might click on an innocuous-looking link for a topic such as "vaccine side effects" and from there be shown slightly darker stuff until you descend down into a thought bubble that represents a different reality from what other users are seeing.
I know what you are thinking: Is it possible for the platform (and the user) to get better at spotting these innocuous links that act as a front door to the dark conspiracies that have entrapped so many users? My best response is "good luck with that one," or, to put it another way, what are you going to do about the cats?
Those adorable cat videos have been a fixture of the World Wide Web for years. One good video of a kitten playing a piano or scaring off a bear can generate thousands or even millions of clicks. If you know that, and I know that, it should not be a surprise that the people who drive traffic to conspiracies and other sketchy content are also aware of the power of cute.
Internet watchers are becoming increasingly alarmed by the connection between fringe groups and cute animal videos. A recent article in The New York Times [1] offers a useful summary of some recent examples. (Many New York Times stories are paywalled, but this one is accessible – at least for now.) According to analysis by the Times, Epoch Media, an organization associated with the Falun Gong religious sect that has expressed support for QAnon and other conspiracy theories, has posted 12,062 cute animal videos on 103 of its Facebook pages over the past year. These posts have racked up nearly 4 billion views. The website of a prominent anti-vaxxer, who researchers named as one of the most prolific sources of COVID-19 misinformation, recently ran a story with the title "Kitten and Chick Nap So Sweetly Together."
The use of cute animal videos as engagement bait poses a problem for all who are working to rein in the abuses of Internet misinformation. These videos are endlessly popular, and nothing about the content gives any indication of the owner's motivations. Sometimes these videos and cute images are accompanied by seemingly innocent teasers that say, "If you like videos like this one, click here," and suddenly the viewer subscribes to a service or channel that opens a conduit for more misinformation.
Facebook and Google think they will eventually solve problems like this using AI, but such solutions are currently a long way off. What can we do about it now? It might be worth remembering to check the source before you forward that cute puppy pic to all your relatives and friends.
Joe Casad, Editor in Chief
Infos
- "Those Cute Cats Online? They Help Spread Misinformation" by Davey Alba, The New York Times, December 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/01/technology/misinformation-cute-cats-online.html
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Canonical Releases Ubuntu 24.04
After a brief pause because of the XZ vulnerability, Ubuntu 24.04 is now available for install.
-
Linux Servers Targeted by Akira Ransomware
A group of bad actors who have already extorted $42 million have their sights set on the Linux platform.
-
TUXEDO Computers Unveils Linux Laptop Featuring AMD Ryzen CPU
This latest release is the first laptop to include the new CPU from Ryzen and Linux preinstalled.
-
XZ Gets the All-Clear
The back door xz vulnerability has been officially reverted for Fedora 40 and versions 38 and 39 were never affected.
-
Canonical Collaborates with Qualcomm on New Venture
This new joint effort is geared toward bringing Ubuntu and Ubuntu Core to Qualcomm-powered devices.
-
Kodi 21.0 Open-Source Entertainment Hub Released
After a year of development, the award-winning Kodi cross-platform, media center software is now available with many new additions and improvements.
-
Linux Usage Increases in Two Key Areas
If market share is your thing, you'll be happy to know that Linux is on the rise in two areas that, if they keep climbing, could have serious meaning for Linux's future.
-
Vulnerability Discovered in xz Libraries
An urgent alert for Fedora 40 has been posted and users should pay attention.
-
Canonical Bumps LTS Support to 12 years
If you're worried that your Ubuntu LTS release won't be supported long enough to last, Canonical has a surprise for you in the form of 12 years of security coverage.
-
Fedora 40 Beta Released Soon
With the official release of Fedora 40 coming in April, it's almost time to download the beta and see what's new.