KATHMANDU: What does it take to go viral on social media? A humorous video, an unusual activity, creative content or a topic that captures public attention? Increasingly, however, the race for views, likes and followers appears to be taking a troubling turn.
Some content creators are now exploiting the pain, suffering and vulnerability of others to attract online attention and build their digital presence.
Recently, videos featuring sick, disabled, mentally and physically challenged, and elderly people have become increasingly visible across social media platforms. While some are produced with the intention of raising awareness or seeking financial assistance, others appear to turn human suffering and helplessness into a source of entertainment and online popularity.
In many such videos, an emotional scene is presented at the beginning, followed by images of an individual’s illness, disability, personal struggles or difficult living conditions. Emotional background music, dramatic storytelling and appeals for financial assistance are often used to evoke sympathy among viewers. Some audiences respond with emotional comments, expressions of concern and requests for help. In certain cases, these videos do succeed in mobilizing public support and financial assistance.
Going viral may be considered a digital achievement, but it is worth asking what kind of achievement comes at the expense of another person’s dignity.
However, an important ethical question remains: Does the intention to help someone justify publicly displaying their suffering and personal circumstances?
The growing influence of social media has intensified competition among content creators to attract larger audiences. On platforms such as TikTok, videos that generate substantial engagement often encourage others to reproduce similar content. As a result, human emotions, personal tragedies and vulnerable circumstances are increasingly being packaged as attention-grabbing material.
What makes this trend particularly concerning is that not everyone featured in such videos is necessarily capable of understanding the consequences of having their personal circumstances exposed to a potentially unlimited online audience. This is especially true of people with serious illnesses, intellectual or psychosocial disabilities, and elderly individuals who depend on others for care and support.
Their consent, privacy and dignity deserve particular protection. Recording and publicizing someone’s medical condition, distressing circumstances or moments of helplessness without informed consent can seriously undermine their self-respect and expose them to embarrassment, discrimination and exploitation. Even when a video creator claims to have good intentions, the rights and feelings of the person being filmed must remain central.
There is no denying that social media can serve as a powerful platform for humanitarian support. Videos highlighting the plight of people living on the streets, struggling to afford medical treatment or lacking family support can bring neglected issues into public attention. They can connect vulnerable individuals with donors, mobilize resources and encourage collective responsibility. Such initiatives demonstrate the positive potential of digital platforms.
Nevertheless, humanitarian assistance should never come at the expense of human dignity. Raising funds for someone’s medical treatment does not require presenting their pain as entertainment. It is possible to communicate genuine needs, share relevant information and appeal for donations without exposing intimate details or humiliating images. The person receiving assistance should have a meaningful say in how their story and circumstances are presented publicly.
The responsibility does not rest solely with content creators. Social media audiences also play an influential role in determining what becomes popular. Views, likes, comments and shares collectively shape online trends and encourage creators to produce similar material. When viewers reward content that ridicules disability, exposes personal suffering or turns someone’s helplessness into entertainment, they indirectly contribute to the continuation of such practices.
Therefore, users should exercise greater responsibility before engaging with or sharing emotionally charged videos. Rather than reacting impulsively, they should consider whether the content respects the dignity of the person featured, whether consent has been obtained and whether sharing it genuinely contributes to a positive cause.
Content creators, particularly those using platforms such as TikTok, must also recognize that having the ability to record and publish something does not automatically make it appropriate content. Not every human experience needs to become a video, and not every vulnerable individual should become the subject of public attention. Greater sensitivity is essential when dealing with health conditions, disabilities, old age, poverty and other deeply personal circumstances.
Someone else’s suffering may become content for social media, but for the person experiencing it, that suffering is a lived reality. No number of views, likes or followers should ever be worth more than another human being’s dignity.
Social media remains an important medium for information, entertainment, awareness and humanitarian engagement. It can amplify the voices of marginalized communities, connect people in need with potential supporters and bring overlooked social problems into public discussion.
However, when the pursuit of online popularity transforms another person’s suffering into a commercial or entertainment opportunity, the fundamental purpose of these platforms is compromised.
Going viral may be considered a digital achievement, but it is worth asking what kind of achievement comes at the expense of another person’s dignity. Views, likes and followers may bring temporary recognition, but the humiliation and emotional consequences of having one’s suffering exposed can remain long after the video disappears from public attention.
Someone else’s suffering may become content for social media, but for the person experiencing it, that suffering is a lived reality. No number of views, likes or followers should ever be worth more than another human being’s dignity.
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