A video of seven dogs roaming a highway in China’s Jilin province has gone viral, racking up tens of millions of views around the world. The video shows three dogs, including a golden retriever, a German shepherd and a corgi, walking together on March 15. The dogs became popular on the internet after they appeared to have escaped from a car.
However, Chinese state media said reports about the dogs’ long journey home were false. Social media users are adding fictional content to their videos to make them more narrative.
This short clip became a trending topic on social media platforms such as Douyin, Weibo, TikTok, and Instagram. TJ Thomson, associate professor of digital media at RMIT University, said the content appealed to viewers because it presented videos of innocent animals that spoke to their childlike nature and need for social connection.
He also observed that viral animal content allows people to escape from negative news, which in turn encourages the fabrication of such content for the purpose of gaining clicks.
In fact, the seven dogs belonged to the villagers, who let them roam around. China Evening News reported that the German shepherd was in heat and there were other dogs around.
Curtin University internet studies professor Tama Lieber said misinformation, even for entertainment purposes, can reinforce negative stereotypes, adding that viral videos can significantly cloud information and make it difficult for people to find accurate information online.
