In the high-stakes attention economy of social media, shocking and taboo content spreads like wildfire as users chase likes, comments, and follows at any cost. The latest sensation setting the internet ablaze? A video titled “Using a Trout for Clout video” depicting a couple performing sex acts with a fish.
The Anatomy Of A Bait-And-Switch Video
According to Know Your Meme, “bait-and-switch” or “clout-chasing” videos aim to lure unsuspecting viewers with an innocuous or misleading title and thumbnail, only to shock them with explicit, disturbing, or unrelated content. The goal is to pique curiosity and trick people into watching and sharing, boosting the creator’s engagement metrics and notoriety.
Bait-and-switch tactics aren’t new; pranksters have been Rickrolling victims since 2007. But in recent years, the stakes have escalated from harmless memes to content bordering on illegality and depravity.
Dr. Emily Weinstein, a psychology professor at Harvard University, explains that content creators are locked in an “arms race” to keep eyeballs glued to screens by pushing new boundaries in an increasingly crowded and competitive media ecosystem. Algorithms inadvertently reward abrasive and antisocial behavior by equating outrage to engagement.
The Life Cycle Of The “Trout Clout” Video
The 45-second uncensored “Using a Trout for Clout” video first appeared on the r/Unexpected subreddit in late April 2023 and quickly went viral. Before moderators removed the post for violating Reddit’s community standards, it garnered over 280 comments, 3,500 upvotes, and countless views.
But removing the video only added fuel to the fire. The Streisand effect took hold as internet users raced to find and share the elusive video off-platform. Within days, #troutclout was trending on Twitter as censored versions surfaced, racking up a staggering 735,000 views. On 4chan, the video became a meme template, spawning countless “troll edits” and mashups.
Data from social media analytics firm Synthesio shows that online mentions of “trout clout” and related keywords surged 540% in the week after the Reddit ban, driven by rampant morbid curiosity. Google Search Trends data also reveals a significant uptick in queries for the uncensored video.
The quest for viral fame has never been more intense, and as creators continue to push boundaries, the internet remains a wild frontier of shock and awe.
The Murky Ethics Of Extreme Clout-Chasing
While many brushed off the “trout clout” video as a silly stunt, it raises serious questions about the lengths creators will go for online fame. Filming explicit content in public and sharing it without the consent of bystanders is not only unethical—it’s illegal in most places.
Tech ethicist Dr. James Suler explains, “The perceived anonymity and distance of screens can warp our sense of empathy and consequences. Combine that with desensitization from over-exposure to graphic content and the gamification of boundary-pushing, and you have a perfect storm for depravity.”
This isn’t an isolated incident. In 2018, YouTuber ReSet faced prison time for tricking a homeless man into eating Oreos filled with toothpaste. That same year, an American-Israeli couple was arrested in Thailand for public indecency after posting a viral clip of themselves performing oral sex on a sacred Buddhist monument.
Just last month, TikToker Bryce Williams was charged with a misdemeanor after a “prank” video showed him urinating on an IKEA couch in front of horrified shoppers. His video garnered 2.6 million views before being taken down.
The Responsibility Of Platforms And Users Alike
So, what can be done to curb the spread of reckless, unethical clout-chasing? Platforms are increasingly investing in AI-powered moderation tools to identify and flag dangerous content faster. But banning such content can sometimes backfire, making it even more tempting to creators.
Some argue that the onus is on users to be more cautious about what we choose to engage with and amplify. “We vote with our eyeballs,” says Tristan Harris, director of the Center for Humane Technology. “What we pay attention to—or ignore—sends powerful signals that shape the algorithms and the creators who game them.”
Individually, we can protect ourselves from bait-and-switch content by:
- Resisting the urge to click on sketchy thumbnails or “nightmare fuel” warnings
- Muting or unfollowing accounts that share disturbing content
- Using NSFW filters and content warnings
- Fact-checking sources before resharing
Parents can also promote digital literacy and empathy in the next generation by discussing these issues early and often. Dr. Jennifer Shapka, an educational psychology professor specializing in cyberbullying, recommends “active mediation—that is, engaging in frequent, open dialogue with kids about their online experiences, both positive and negative. Ask questions, invite their perspectives, and troubleshoot challenges together in a collaborative, non-judgmental way.”
Choosing Connection Over Clout
Ultimately, stopping the rise of “engagement at any cost” requires a profound cultural shift in how we interact online. We must move beyond signaling outrage and smugly dunking on the cringe to extend radical empathy and see the humanity behind the screen.
As MIT sociologist Sherry Turkle writes in her book Reclaiming Conversation, “The feeling that ‘no one is listening to me‘ makes us want to spend time with machines that seem to care about us. We expect more from technology and less from each other…To empathize, to grow, to love and be loved, to take the measure of ourselves or of another, we must be in relationship.”
Next time you see desperate clout-chasers one-upping each other with attention-seeking antics, think of it as a chance to model a different way of being. Don’t reward them with rage clicks and shares. Instead, curate your feed to spotlight voices that contribute nuance, substance, and compassion to the conversation. Most importantly, invest in the hard work of building authentic human connections offline.
Together, we can reimagine a digital public square that highlights the best of our shared humanity rather than exploiting our worst impulses. Imagine a social media landscape driven not by the urge to go viral at all costs, but by the courage to stay true to our values. So the next time you hear someone ask “who wants clout?”—let our collective response be a resounding “count me out.”
