It's not the first time we've reported on these photos. It's about pictures and status posts with "Today is my birthday. Nobody shared my photo because I am disabled. Can I make a wish? Is there anyone who can share my photo?” Since we are currently receiving more inquiries about a picture, we are taking up this important topic again!
Exploiting empathy: Viral posts on Facebook with birthday wishes from disabled people and sick children
In the vast expanse of Facebook, we have all come across a post like this: a photo of a disabled, injured or sick person, accompanied by a message like “Today is my birthday. Nobody shared my photo because I am disabled. Can I make a wish? Is there anyone who can share my photo?” . On the one hand, such posts are emotionally appealing from the user's point of view, but on the other hand they also reflect the dynamics of social media.
Feelings in Target: Stolen Photos, Stolen Identities, False Stories!
How click collectors abuse users’ empathy! These are these and similar status posts on Facebook. These posts often have tens of thousands of “likes” and “comments”
What's behind it?
But what is actually behind these posts? Why do we keep seeing them in our news feeds? The answer is simple, but a little complicated: it is a type of viral marketing strategy. The creators of such posts hope that the emotional message - often reinforced by an image of a seemingly needy person - will persuade users to share the post. The main purpose of this strategy is to maximize the reach of the post and thus make the creator or the page from which it came more popular.
The role of empathy
It's no secret that emotions play a big role in social media. Positive emotions such as joy or surprise can cause a post to be shared, but negative emotions such as sadness or anger can also have this effect. In this particular case, empathy and compassion are targeted - feelings that often make us want to act.
The wording of the post aims to create the feeling that the person in the photo is being ignored because of their disability or illness. This awakens the desire to help and take a stand against discrimination - and the easiest way to do this is to share the post.
Manipulation and abuse
While the desire to help is certainly commendable, it must be understood that these types of posts are often manipulative. Often these are images that are used without the consent of the person depicted in them, and it is not uncommon for the accompanying text to contain incorrect information.
In extreme cases, such images can even be used by scammers to raise funds for non-existent charities. It is therefore always important to critically question such posts and, if in doubt, to research them before sharing them.
Do not share these photos and images!
We advise not to share, comment, or otherwise interact with such images, especially if the background and intentions of the original posting are unclear. Here are the reasons:
1. Protection of privacy
These images are often used without the consent of the person depicted or their family. Even if the intentions are well-intentioned, distributing images of someone without their consent is a violation of privacy.
2. False information and manipulation
The text accompanying such images often contains misleading or even false information. Sharing or interacting with such posts may result in the further spread of this misinformation.
3. Supporting unethical practices
Many such posts are designed to increase the reach of the page or account that published the post. By sharing or interacting with these posts, you can help ensure that such unethical practices thrive and continue to be used.
4. Risk of Fraud
In some cases, such images and posts may be used by fraudsters to raise funds for non-existent charities. By sharing and interacting with such posts, you may inadvertently contribute to the spread of fraud.
Therefore, it is always important to think critically about such posts and, if in doubt, to research them before sharing or interacting with them. It's always better to directly support legitimate charities and inform through reliable sources rather than spreading potentially harmful content.
Conclusion
We should always be aware of the power that social media has and realize that not everything we see there is true or authentic. It's important to be compassionate and supportive, but it's equally important to be informed and aware. Instead of reacting impulsively to such posts, we should take the time to check the source.
In line with this topic:
- This is how Facebook users are lured into extreme religious groups
- “Today is my birthday!” – Likebaiting
- Woman in a wheelchair: Today is my birthday [Fake]
- Today is my birthday! Bet nobody shares this picture?
- Clickbait with Thaise Guedes: The true story behind “Today is my birthday”
- Facebook: “Today is my birthday. Nobody shared my photo because I am disabled.
- The baby with the alleged cancer
- Amen, Likebait and the story behind it – a toddler with cancer?
- The true story of little Marina Sabatier
- The True Story of Tia Leighs!
- The true story of little Serafina!
- The true story of little Lucas Costa!
- Likebait with disabled people and brazen photo manipulation
- Cheap Likebait with physically disabled people – what’s the point?
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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 )











