My cousin staged a hamster video that got 50k views last summer. Honestly, most viral content is set up anyway, so it's not really tricking people. Tbh, helping family out is more important than being totally honest online. Ngl, those views could make her happy and even encourage her to care for the pet better. In the end, it's just a bit of fun and nobody gets hurt.
That line about chasing views over real moments hits home. I see it at the dentist's office all the time, parents handing their crying toddler a phone for a video instead of just comforting them. The moment becomes about getting a cute reaction clip, not the kid's feelings. It trains all of us, especially kids, to see our own lives as content first. The hamster video is harmless, but that habit of staging life for an audience really adds up.