Suzanne Bearne
Technological journalist
Samuel Weidenhofer
Samuel Weidenhofer’s kindness acts began with hugs and roses
Growing up, Samuel Weidenhofer fought with his mental health after losing his aunt to commit suicide at nine, experiencing an obstacle to speech and being intimidated.
The trauma of all this made him want to end his own life, he said. When he was 17 years old, he said he decided to turn to social media to disseminate a positive message.
“It started with simple things like giving people hugs in public and giving roses and flowers and things that would make people smile,” said Weidenhofer, now 21, and living in Melbourne, Australia.
The difference was that Weidenhofer filmed these acts and shared them on his social media accounts. The content has evolved and four years later, on Instagram, he raised 1.7 million followers, where he can be seen surprising a person with a serious illness with money or a visit of a celebrity like Jake Paul or Kristen Bell.
“I hope my videos inspire someone a bit,” he said.
Creators of kindness content, or influencers, as they are often called, increase in number on social networks.
Their approaches differ, but a common tactic is to secretly film someone who receives money, or tickets for a concert or a sports match, or perhaps a free haircut.
“The kindness is cool,” said Zachery Dereniowski, 31, in the biography of his Instagram account where he has 5.7 million followers.
M. Dereniowski’s videos often involve telling a stranger to be hungry and asking for food. When the person helps him, he rewards the person with a gift, such as a laptop or money.
“I guess I really want to emphasize that each person you meet has a story … And often people who have the least,” said Dereniowski, who lives in Windsor, near Toronto in Canada, and started The account after having free hugs to foreigners.
Patrick Glaz
Participants in Zachery Dereniowski videos can receive money or precious products
Like many influencers, the creators of kindness earn money with the advertisements and the sponsorship of the brands with which they work. For example, they could conclude a case that involves giving the product of a particular brand.
Videos of kindness content creators attract millions of views. Why are they so popular?
Saoirse Cleary, Director of the creative strategy of the marketing agency MG Empower, says that they integrate many elements that social media algorithms are favorable at the same time: strong hooks, engaging legends, sincere stories and Authentic and not scripted moments.
“The public is captivated by raw and real interactions with everyday people, offering an emotional link against the comfort of their own screens. People are looking for more and more positivity, authenticity and emotional resonance in their online experiences, especially in the often saturated spaces of directed entertainment. “”
Saoirse Cleary
The authenticity of the content of the kindness calls on the public says that Saoirse Cleary
At first glance, acts seem well-intentioned, so why do they attract criticism?
“” Although these influencers can be really generous … Generosity can sometimes feel performative, because it often serves as a way to attract more views, commitment and, ultimately, financial reward, rather than purely motifs Altrutes “, explains Ms. Cleary.
Others go further, in search of if the concentration of a person, generally vulnerable, is the right way to help.
“I find the typical configuration of many fairly disturbing scenes,” explains Hilda Burke, psychotherapist, accredited with the British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy.
She explains that videos often involve a person identified as “in need”. We then ask them for a favor. It can be a spare money for a bus rate or help something.
She maintains that the participant is “attracted” to assess the needs of someone else, who seems richer, more than theirs.
It is only if they do that they are rewarded.
“I wonder what happens to those who don’t play the game?” Asks Ms. Burke.
Influencers defend themselves by arguing that the use of social media in this way is an effective strategy.
“I can collect more money, so I can help more people if I publish it online,” said Weidenhofer.
And how about filming people without their consent?
“If you make a video where you hug someone, if you say it in advance, it takes off this authenticity,” said Weidenhofer.
But he adds that these days, he avoids filming people without consent because it made him “feel weird”.
Sometimes large sums of money are given to vulnerable people, which they may not be able to manage.
Mr. Dereniowski realized that this could be a problem when he collected $ 240,000 overnight for a father and a son who lived in their car.
After that, more reflection between the longer term.
“We started to set up financial advisers. We started finding jobs from these people. We helped allocate the funds correctly to reimburse their debt, their car, help them get a house and pay them) Rent “, he says.
If you have been affected by one of the details of this story, you can get help and support from the BBC Action Line.
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