Viral dog video misled by AI-generated fake narratives

A video of seven dogs wandering along a highway in Jilin province, China, has gone viral, amassing tens of millions of views worldwide. The clip shows three dogs, which include a golden retriever and a German shepherd and a corgi, walking together on March 15. The dogs became popular on the internet because people thought they had escaped from a vehicle.

However, Chinese state media has stated that the narrative of the long journey of the dogs to return home is false. Social media users have also added to the narrative of the video by adding fictional content to the video.

The short clip became a trending topic on social media platforms such as Douyin, Weibo, TikTok, and Instagram. The RMIT University Associate Professor of Digital Media TJ Thomson explained that the content attracts viewers because it presents innocent animal videos which appeal to their childlike nature and their need for social connection.

He also observed that animal viral content allows people to escape from negative news, thus encouraging the fabrication of such content for the purpose of getting clicks.

The seven dogs, in fact, belonged to the villagers, who let them roam around. The German Shepherd was in heat, thus the presence of the other dogs around her, reported the China Evening News.

Misinformation, even if it’s for the purpose of entertainment, can lead to the promotion of negative stereotypes, said Tama Leaver, Professor of Internet Studies at Curtin University, who added, Viral videos can muddy the information well, making it difficult for people to find accurate information online.