The mechanics of emotions to generate engagement is not new on social networks like Facebook, it is at least ten years old. But the rise of AI gives it formidable efficiency.
These Facebook pages, some of which have hundreds of thousands of subscribers, continuously publish images generated by AI. These photos, designed to touch the emotional fiber of Internet users, are accompanied by captions inviting sharing and comments, as reported The World. « This 103-year-old granny has just finished her 1,000th sweater, congratulate her! ”, or even “ This young shepherd sacrifices his life for his sheep, but will never have as many likes as Lady Gaga. Prove him wrong! ».
Although a trained eye quickly detects the eel in the rock, others let themselves be carried away by their emotions and go on with their tender comments or likes at will. This is how these publications go viral by exploiting themes that strike a chord with older people such as nostalgia, traditional values, respect for elders. They are unaware that they are participating in the propagation of fictional content and fueling the scourge of disinformation.
