Pranks: we’ve all been a part of at least one before. And if you haven’t, then you surely know of a prank that made you laugh, and maybe you found it online. Prank videos have been around since the dawn of YouTube. From scare cam videos to the weird obsession Vine users had with "smack cams" in 2013, prank videos tend to be well-loved by many. But there has been a surge of other "prank" videos which differ from the others. Don't be fooled by these ones. They may seem cute and funny, but deep down, they send dangerous messages to our society. Here's a few ways to tell if the video you’re watching or filming falls in this shameful category:
Does the video contain physical violence?
This should be the most obvious video that people know to avoid, yet people seem to find humor in others' pain. Regardless of whether or not the victim finds it funny, there's NOTHING humorous in being violent toward someone.
Does the video involve a prank that embarrasses the victim in some way?
Videos I have seen that fall into this category include giving someone a haircut while they're sleeping or putting Viagra in their energy drink. Regardless of how funny the person's reaction seems to be, it seems like these people are legitimately upset every time, and they have a right to be. Don't laugh at those videos unless you would be fine with someone doing something like that to you without your consent.
Is gaslighting involved?
For those who haven't heard of this term, gaslighting is when you abuse someone psychologically to the point that they begin to question their own sanity. This tactic is popularly used by YouTubers like Daddy O Five. His videos consist of him and his wife yelling at their kids for making a mess that they didn't make only to say "chill out, it's just a prank," among other things. His videos showcase his children crying over being falsely punished or picked on just for people to get a laugh out of it. While the family (including the children themselves) have defended these videos and have said they aren’t being harmed, they’re still abusive, and it's not OK. Thankfully, the family has removed the videos from YouTube and issued a public apology.
Does the victim get injured, accidentally or otherwise?
This kind of goes along with numbers one and two, especially if the person being pranked is clearly upset by the outcome. Regardless, videos of any kind become very uncomfortable for me when someone gets injured, even if they're laughing afterwards. It's probably best to try not to laugh with them, because it makes similar prank videos seem OK. Not everyone finds humor in getting hurt.
Does the prank feature racism or any other form of discrimination?
These pranks are simply poor attempts at bringing light to the bad things happening in our world. Even if the people pulling the pranks mean well deep down, they are still doing something awful by forcing people into situations that are awkward and downright mean. If you want to back a certain movement, there are better ways to do it.
My point in writing this article is not to say that you shouldn’t find prank videos funny. Rather, there are some videos that people tend to find funny even though they're really not. If the person being pranked is hurt or feeling uncomfortable in any way, then it’s not something that should be laughed at. Hopefully this trend of cringe-worthy “pranks” on the internet will die off soon.
