Heat bonus: A reckless TikTok prank insults and humiliates citizens' benefit recipients
As if life as a citizen's benefit recipient wasn't hard enough, a viral video duck was recently discovered on TikTok laughing at the expense of the poorest in our society. In a world where clickbait and viral videos are king, some influencers have decided to play on people's need for money, which only worsens the suffering of those affected.
Hoax promise: €300 heat bonus for citizens' benefit recipients
A video published on July 18, 2023 claims that citizens' benefit recipients would receive a so-called "heat bonus" of 300 euros from their job center. It has been claimed that this money could be used to pay for portable air conditioners, fans or even entry to public swimming pools.
Unfortunately, many took the video seriously, despite its obviously misleading content. Whether it is described as a bad joke, satire or even fake news, the fact remains: many citizens' benefit recipients felt addressed by the video and found it sad and hurtful.
Clickbait at the expense of those in need
The bitter truth is that there is no “heat bonus”. This hoax shows how carelessly some people treat the poverty and suffering of others just to generate clicks and attention. It is a sad reality that despite the obvious plight of many people in Germany, such misleading and inhumane content can thrive on social media platforms like TikTok.
In the meantime, citizens' benefit recipients are not expecting additional aid, despite rising inflation and evidence that state aid is often inadequate. They continue to face their daily struggles while some people celebrate their abuse and exploitation online.
Dehumanizing content and the impact
The impact of such videos goes far beyond simple internet trolling. They use stereotypical clichés and reinforce an image of humanity that is actually far from reality. Furthermore, they are a direct attack on the dignity of those who struggle every day to survive and are just trying to make ends meet.
The needy are literally trampled on in such videos. Every click is a slap in the face to those who work hard but still cannot feed their families and are dependent on citizens' money. It is a slap in the face to those who are unable to enter the job market due to illness or age.
Conclusion
It's easy to make fun of the poorest in society, especially in the anonymity of the internet. But it's important to remember that these people have real concerns and problems, and that they don't deserve these challenges.
It is high time we condemn such inhumane actions on social media and instead focus on supporting and compassion for the most vulnerable members of our society. After all, one day we could be in such a situation ourselves.
Creativity should not be used to hurt or offend others, but rather to help us create a better and fairer society. This is the only way we can hope that such fake news videos will be a thing of the past in the future.
Help us make our online community safer! Download the attached sharepic and share it on your Facebook feed or stories. The more people we can reach with this, the safer our digital world will become. Always remember: think first, then click!
Also read other fact checks: The Penny scandal: a reflection of television journalism?
Sources:
DPA ; Harz4Application
Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )