By Asmita Sarkar:
Update: Within 24 hours of YKA publishing the video, PrankBaaz has made it private.
In 2012, videos were circulated on social media which led to the exodus of around 30,000 people of North-East Indian origin living in Bangalore, Pune and Tamil Nadu. The videos, SMSes and MMSes, which caused chaos and fear, and contained violent attacks, were later found to be unsubstantial. Unfortunately, people had believed those messages without bothering to verify the source and origin. The uncritical acceptance of the rumours three years ago could have acted as a lesson in how hate crimes perpetuate, however not much has changed.
This social experiment conducted by a YouTube channel, PrankBaaz, tests bystanders to see how gullible they are to persuasion from strangers regarding religious intolerance. The ease with which the actors influence the young people they approach will leave you astounded. Whether it’s coercion or an already existing belief that’s being exploited by agents of communal hatred, seeing this video; one wonders if critical thinking is dying in India.
Video Courtesy: PrankBaaz