Brainchild (2018) s01e01 Episode Script
Social Media
Oh. My. God.
This post is life.
She's so savage.
I want to be her so bad I could scream!
[screams]
Why are you freaking out?
Selfie Queen just posted
a new photo on Instaglam.
-It's so good.
-So good, I have to share it.
That is pretty good,
as in too good to be true!
What you talking about?
Selfie Queen is as real as it gets.
-The realest.
-So real.
Oh, really?
867 likes
SELFIEQUEEN: MY PERFECT DAY
[upbeat dance music]
3 HOURS EARLIER
-No way. That's not true.
-I don't believe you.
Whatever. I still love her.
If you've ever wondered why you don't look
like the people you see on social media,
well, they don't even look like that.
The truth is,
social media is not real life,
but it is a great way to stay informed,
stay connected--
Hey! Are you even paying attention,
or did you just check your phone?
It's time to discover the good, the bad,
and the OMG of social media,
on Brainchild.
SOCIAL MEDIA
-[man] This is 2H. Helix!
-[man 2] Take two.
GETTING READY TO SHOOT BRAINCHILD!
#BingeWorthy
[message sent beep]
Whether you use Facebook, Instagram,
Twitter, Snapchat or Flounder
Kidding. I made up Flounder.
Social media and smartphones
have become a way of life.
Imagine if you didn't have a smartphone
No!
like this guy. Try to count everything
a smartphone replaces in this scene.
I don't, er, I don't see what's so smart
about smartphones.
I got everything I need right here.
Like video games?
Check it out. I'm playing right now.
[retro video game bleeps]
Just got the high score.
What about movies? You like movies?
I got tons of movies here.
Got Gnome Sweet Gnome.
That's really good.
Then I got my calculator
if I want to do math.
I even got a calendar.
-Look at that. It's June.
-Miaow!
I got a flashlight.
I got a Rolodex.
Like selfies?
This is the original selfie.
Look at that.
There we go. Perfect.
In about two minutes, we'll get
a perfect photograph right there.
-This is my friend's cat.
-Miaow!
You like taking videos?
This is the best.
Got an old video camera here.
And it's 100% portable.
-But--
-See? Portable.
Do you like music?
Great. This is great.
This is perfect for music.
You like getting likes
on your stuff?
This is a real like right here. Yeah.
If there's anything I don't know,
I get my friend Gary.
He knows everything.
Get over here. Come on. Gary.
GARY
KNOWS EVERYTHING
Do you know there are
six main kinds of corn?
I did not.
There's different stuff in every one.
-Gary, we're having a conversation here.
-Ok.
Did you catch all of the items
your smartphone replaces?
My friend Gary.
Pretty amazing that all of that
fits in one of these.
While there's no denying that smartphones
are both portable and powerful,
with great power
comes great responsibility.
That's because what you do online
affects what happens in real life.
Which one is me?
At school, I'm super sporty and trendy.
But online, I can totally geek out
on Manga and the ukulele.
If I wear my favorite tie-dye jacket,
I might get one compliment.
-Nice jacket.
-But if I post myself wearing it online
Boom! Compliment overload.
Then again, if I
[phone crashes]
fail IRL
Aggh!
maybe one person will see it
and then quickly forget.
But if I fail on social media,
everybody sees it,
and it sticks around forever.
Keeping track of two yous with one brain
can be exhausting,
so how do you stay sane
and be your best in both worlds?
First, you need to understand
why you and your friends
behave the way you do online.
And to do that,
we're gonna play a game.
-What?.
-In real life.
THIS USER IS OFFLINE
Hmm.
Popular pics.
Take a look at these
two social-media posts.
All you have to do is decide
which one you like better:
selfie cat,
which got over 2 1/2 million likes,
or the chill kangaroo,
which only got 13 likes.
So, got your pick?
Now check out which photo
some other people chose.
I like the cat picture taking the selfie.
I like the cat-selfie one.
I really like the cat selfie.
That looks like the cat is the boss
of all of them, so--
I think it's funnier.
Interesting. So far,
all the volunteers picked Clicky Kitty.
Do you think there's anything we can do
to get more votes for Chill-a-roo?
Let's see what happens
when we make one small change.
I like the kangaroo.
I like the kangaroo,
he's pretty dope.
-I vote for the roo.
-Absolutely.
So, what did we change?
The answer may surprise you.
When we wanted volunteers to pick the cat,
we showed them this version of the photos,
where the cat had 2 1/2 million likes,
and the kangaroo only had a handful.
But when we wanted them
to pick the kangaroo,
we showed them the kangaroo
was the one with 2 1/2 million likes,
while poor kitty only had a few.
So, why would an already popular photo
with tons of likes
make more people like it?
Here to help explain
is our science friend, Alie Ward.
When it comes to humans,
doing and liking what's popular
is something we're hardwired to do.
It's why popular performers
enjoy more fame and fortune
and popular brands and products
sell more merchandise.
So, it only makes sense
that given an uncertain choice,
people tend to follow the herd
and do what's popular.
That's because copying
the behavior of others
is a practical, adaptable behavior
necessary for survival.
Whether it was choosing
between a nutritious or poisonous food
or a safe path over a dangerous one,
going along with the crowd could mean
the difference between life and death.
And while taking pics
of kangaroos or cats is fun
the thing you take pictures of
the most is
yourself!
The average millennial takes
about 25,000 selfies in their lifetime.
Almost every day.
A selfie a day.
Mmm two or three a day.
A groupie, selfie, an us-ie.
I take all those.
But not all selfies are created equal,
we're about to show you
the secret science behind selfies.
Best selfie ever.
Take a look at these photos
of our Selfie Queen.
Which one do you think
will get her the most likes?
Got your pick? I bet you chose
number three.
How do I know?
Because research shows when the camera
is both elevated and tilted,
making the eyes seem larger,
people rate the subjects of the photo
as more likable.
It's why so many people have photos
in the same overused pose.
But people, please, no duck face.
Quack! Quack!
Urrgh!
Once you take that selfie, you'll
want to post it on social media.
But how should you tag it?
Find out in this next game.
Best post ever.
Listen to these three posts,
and decide which one you would like
if you saw it on social media.
I hate that I always get picked
for the lead in the school play.
It's so much commitment!
I got the lead in the school play!
#youknowit.
How am I supposed to memorize
all these lines?! #whatsmyline?
So if you had to pick one,
which post would you like?
Got your answer?
Hang onto it while we show you
a few more posts.
I hate it when the teacher singles me out
for getting the highest test score.
#beingsmartishard.
I got the highest score on the test!
#imagenius.
I hate taking tests. #mathstinks.
Okay.
Got your picks? Fantastic.
Now, let's see if I can predict
which posts you liked.
So, I'm guessing it wasn't the last one.
And it probably wasn't the first one.
Which leaves the middle one.
Did I get it right?
If so, there's a reason for that.
Nobody likes a bragger
or someone who's full of themself,
but there's actually something even worse.
Bragging, but trying to seem
like you're not.
So enter the humblebrag.
I hate that I always get picked
to be the lead in the school play.
I hate it when the teacher singles me out
for getting the highest test score.
Now, while humblebragging might seem like
a less obnoxious strategy than bragging,
be careful,
because it actually might backfire.
Now, in recent studies,
researchers have found
humblebraggers actually come across
as way less likable
than people just outright bragging.
So, if you've got good news to share
I got the lead in the school play!
I got the highest score on the test!
go ahead and own it.
People might even respect you more.
Speaking of,
I look good.
I look good, right now. Ha!
Back in the day,
this was considered social media.
Tweet.
Now, it's something most of us do
on a daily basis.
But that doesn't mean
you can't still find magic in it.
How's it going?
As you're about to see
with illusionist Ben Seidman.
These people have never met Ben before,
but he's about to show them a unique way
to update their social media.
Look up at the camera and smile. Ready?
Back in the day, cameras worked like this.
You hit the button, the photo
would print right out of the camera.
This is before social media,
so if I wanted to share a photo,
I could share it
-Okay.
-with one person.
I would just hand it to you. You might
put it in a picture frame, y'know,
put it behind glass to keep it safe.
But nowadays, very few people
carry around photos like this anymore,
because we all have our phones.
-Ah! Look how cute we are.
-We look adorable. Totally.
-Best of friends.
-Yes.
Well, which one of you do you think
takes the most photos?
Hmm.
-I don’t wanna say it's me--
-That one?
-but probably me.
-Will you hold the camera?
-Sure.
-Do you have a phone?
-Mmhm.
-Can you take it out, please?
You have hundreds,
if not thousands of photos
saved on social media, right?
Hold out your hand.
Yeah. Perfect. Watch closely.
Look how cute we are.
Keep your hand a little bit lower.
Lower your hand. I'm just gonna
Oh, this is perfect. Great.
And would you hold your other hand
like this, palm down.
Yeah, and just cover up the photo.
Great.
-Oh my God.
-You can feel the photo under your hand.
You might even feel this happen.
I just framed our photo.
-No.
-Lift up your hand.
I'm so nervous.
-Oh my God!
-How did it get--
-How did you get it--
-What happened?
What?
-No way.
-What happened?
-You squished it in.
-Wait a second. Is that--
-What?!
-Is that photo actually
underneath the plastic on your phone?
How the heck did you do that?!
-Make sure it's in there.
-I didn't even feel it.
-Let's take a look.
-He did some voodoo thing.
Let's make sure it really is
actually under the case.
Wait.
Is it there?
And this is your phone case, right?
There's no holes in there?
Oh my God.
Is it really
But here's the thing
-Let's say--
-I don't believe this. No way.
And you shouldn't. But let's say
you wanted to share this photo
with more than one person.
You'd be at social media.
-Right?
-Yeah.
Will you unlock your phone?
I won't look.
You use Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, etc?
-Yeah.
-'Cause this photo is almost like it was
in your phone.
But what if it was in your phone?
-Get out of here.
-Open a social-media app.
-What? Get the--
-No way.
How did you get that in?
-Oh my God.
-Show the camera.
No!
This is the most horrifying thing
that someone has ever done.
-You got hacked big time.
-Well here's the thing.
It's magic, but it's an important reminder
that we should really--
We should live our lives in the real world
and not be so concerned
about social media.
-Man.
-I can't believe that happened.
Can you photograph money and put it
in my account?
Can you take the thing out?
What? Where are we looking?
But sometimes, social media can make
you miss more than just the magic trick.
Following, liking, and commenting
on your friends' posts 24/7
can make you miss
what's happening around you.
Oh, a text.
A snap.
Instaglam like.
It's hard enough keeping up with
the online demands from your friends,
but what happens when your social-media
feed becomes the target of enemies?
Bullies used to be a threat
only at school.
Now you got to worry about them
popping up 24 hours a day.
Why is that?
Are people actually meaner online
than they are in real life?
To find out, we're gonna conduct
a very special experiment.
This is Melody, and she wants to be
the next "Pop Star Idol."
Watch her audition video closely,
because you're going to help rate
her performance for us anonymously.
So we need you to be completely honest.
You gotta follow your dreams ♪
Don't be afraid to sing your song ♪
You gotta believe in yourself ♪
You are the best ♪
And never, ever, ever
Ever, ever, ever give up ♪
No matter what anyone says ♪
Okay.
On a scale of one to ten,
ten being the best singer you ever heard
and one being your dad
singing in the shower,
how would you rate Melody,
and what feedback would you give?
Got your rating and feedback?
Keep it in mind as you watch
these two groups of volunteers
who we invited to watch Melody's audition
and then text us their feedback.
What if it's, like, Beyoncé's video?
-Oh.
-Uh oh.
That's not Beyoncé.
Hey, everyone. My name's Melody,
which is really cool
'cause I love to sing.
And my dream
is to be a professional singer.
So, I thought I might as well
sing a song for my audition that I wrote.
-I like her jacket.
-Yeah, me too.
It's about following your dreams.
You gotta follow your dreams ♪
[loudly]
Don't be afraid to sing your song ♪
You got to follow your heart ♪
[out of tune]
Let the whole wide world, sing along ♪
[sings badly]
You gotta believe in yourse-ELF! ♪
You are the best ♪
And never, ever, ever
Ever, ever, ever give up ♪
-Oh come on.
-Come on.
So, you are a star ♪
[very out of tune]
No matter who you are ♪
You gotta do it
Just put your mind to it ♪
Youooooo ♪
Are ahhhh ♪
A staaaaaaaaARRR ♪
Oh, Lord.
They didn't record us laughing?
-No.
-That would be so mean.
That would've been so mean.
Remember, we asked our participants
to text us their rating of Melody
on a scale of one to ten.
Now, listen to what
the first group thought
and see if it's in line
with your rating.
-I'm gonna give her a three.
-I'm gonna give her a calm four.
-What did you give?
-I gave her a five.
I gave her five, too.
She could sing.
She just doesn't know how to--
-I'm gonna give her five.
-I'll be nice. I'm gonna give her a four.
Looks like this group is giving Melody
fours and fives across the board.
How does that compare to your rating?
Will group 2's ratings
will be similar to group 1's?
-Should I say it was decent?
-No.
She has, like, potential--
She does have potential.
She was just singing super high key.
[sings in high voice]
Hi! My name is Melody!
-Yeah, like that.
-That was bad money.
-I'm gonna give it a three.
-I gave her a two.
-I'll say two.
-Yeah, I gave her a two.
"You should seek professional help.
You come off a little strong."
You just suck.
You sing like garbage.
Yikes! The comments from this group
were way harsh.
They even encouraged each other
to lower their initial ratings.
But why? Are these kids just meaner?
Was group 1 just nicer, or
could it have something to do
with the differing instructions
we gave each group?
Hey, guys.
This is what we told group 1.
We may have you read your comments
to us and also to her later.
So, we want you to be completely honest.
Here's what we told group 2.
And remember, your comments
are anonymous,
no one will know who you are.
-Okay.
-All right.
So group 1 thought they might
have to read their feedback
directly to Melody face-to-face.
While group 2 was told
they would not have to meet Melody
and their feedback
would be totally anonymous,
kind of like being online.
But we couldn't let group 2
off the hook that easy, could we?
All right, guys. Thank you so much.
So, one-by-one, we're gonna read
your comments aloud.
-We'll start with you.
-Okay.
Okay. I said, "I would give her a two
because even though--
Oh, sorry, one second.
I wonder if it'll be the girl?
-Hey, guys.
-Go ahead and stand right there.
Whoops! Looks like they do have
to deliver their negative comments
to Melody's face.
Would you be able to do that?
Or would you change your rating
and feedback to soften the blow?
I'm really excited to hear feedback.
Yeah. Sorry, Sue, as you were saying,
go ahead and continue.
I would give her a two because even though
she has potential,
her voice was overpowering,
and her ukulele skills were nonexistent.
She was also very overconfident.
That's a little harsh.
Can I go last?
No, we're actually gonna go in order.
Okay. Your singing was bad money.
That's not how you do it.
You get a two.
-Did they see my video?
-Yeah, yeah.
That was, uh, very honest of you.
Go ahead.
Not very on key, singing-wise,
and need better ukulele skills,
so then I give it a two.
Oh, well, y'know actually I just learned
how to play ukulele, so, I mean
-I'm pretty good for a beginner.
-I'm so sorry.
-I'm sorry, too.
-Thanks for the honesty, guys.
Last, but not least.
So, I would give you a two.
You need to watch your volume,
and I feel like you
if you saw a vocal coach for
professional help, you'd be good.
You know, I happen to know people who
think I'm really good, so these are just--
-This is your opinion.
-Ouch.
Melody seems to have taken
those comments pretty hard.
How do you think group 2 feel about
delivering those mean comments
to her face?
How would you feel if you had to do that?
-I was joking.
-I told you.
-I feel so bad now.
-But she looks like--
You did not read your text word for word.
I did not, but
'cause I wanted to be nice!
It seems like they feel pretty bad,
but there was a bigger purpose
to this experiment
beyond just making them feel bad.
I went a little too far when I said,
y'know about the bad money.
Because it's anonymous, like,
you think you can say what you want,
and you won't get in trouble.
It won't affect you,
but you could've seriously,
made someone feel bad about themselves,
and I did that to someone.
Once someone goes on their screen,
they have a completely different filter.
What you say online
carries a different meaning
than it does in real life sometimes,
and there's a real person
with real feelings who gets hurt by that.
So, if most of us understand online
behavior can have real-life consequences,
why do some people
still behave badly on social media?
The reason people misbehave online
is due to a collection of behaviors
scientists refer to
as the online disinhibition effect.
They include:
Add those up, and social media
is like the perfect storm
for bullying and bad behavior,
which is what we saw in this experiment.
Just like with cyber-bullying,
it's easier to do harm to others
when they aren't right in front of you.
Of course, we didn't want these kids
to go home feeling bad,
so we let them in on one final secret.
Melody isn't really bad money.
She may not be the next "Pop Star Idol,"
but she can carry a tune.
[sings perfectly]
Always believe in yourself ♪
And never, ever, ever, ever give up ♪
-That was good.
-Yeah, that was good.
Perfect watch right here.
You can wear it,
but I keep it in my bag: safety reasons.
This is about beef cattle.
There's many types.
A lotta people don't know that.
My friend hasn't got a camera, so if
he wants a picture of his cat
he calls me up.
Hereford cattle, Brahman cattle,
Charolais.
It's a white breed of French origin,
which was introduced to the USA in 1936.
-Lotta people don't know that.
-I did. I read that one.
Gary, we're having
a serious conversation, okay?
This post is life.
She's so savage.
I want to be her so bad I could scream!
[screams]
Why are you freaking out?
Selfie Queen just posted
a new photo on Instaglam.
-It's so good.
-So good, I have to share it.
That is pretty good,
as in too good to be true!
What you talking about?
Selfie Queen is as real as it gets.
-The realest.
-So real.
Oh, really?
867 likes
SELFIEQUEEN: MY PERFECT DAY
[upbeat dance music]
3 HOURS EARLIER
-No way. That's not true.
-I don't believe you.
Whatever. I still love her.
If you've ever wondered why you don't look
like the people you see on social media,
well, they don't even look like that.
The truth is,
social media is not real life,
but it is a great way to stay informed,
stay connected--
Hey! Are you even paying attention,
or did you just check your phone?
It's time to discover the good, the bad,
and the OMG of social media,
on Brainchild.
SOCIAL MEDIA
-[man] This is 2H. Helix!
-[man 2] Take two.
GETTING READY TO SHOOT BRAINCHILD!
#BingeWorthy
[message sent beep]
Whether you use Facebook, Instagram,
Twitter, Snapchat or Flounder
Kidding. I made up Flounder.
Social media and smartphones
have become a way of life.
Imagine if you didn't have a smartphone
No!
like this guy. Try to count everything
a smartphone replaces in this scene.
I don't, er, I don't see what's so smart
about smartphones.
I got everything I need right here.
Like video games?
Check it out. I'm playing right now.
[retro video game bleeps]
Just got the high score.
What about movies? You like movies?
I got tons of movies here.
Got Gnome Sweet Gnome.
That's really good.
Then I got my calculator
if I want to do math.
I even got a calendar.
-Look at that. It's June.
-Miaow!
I got a flashlight.
I got a Rolodex.
Like selfies?
This is the original selfie.
Look at that.
There we go. Perfect.
In about two minutes, we'll get
a perfect photograph right there.
-This is my friend's cat.
-Miaow!
You like taking videos?
This is the best.
Got an old video camera here.
And it's 100% portable.
-But--
-See? Portable.
Do you like music?
Great. This is great.
This is perfect for music.
You like getting likes
on your stuff?
This is a real like right here. Yeah.
If there's anything I don't know,
I get my friend Gary.
He knows everything.
Get over here. Come on. Gary.
GARY
KNOWS EVERYTHING
Do you know there are
six main kinds of corn?
I did not.
There's different stuff in every one.
-Gary, we're having a conversation here.
-Ok.
Did you catch all of the items
your smartphone replaces?
My friend Gary.
Pretty amazing that all of that
fits in one of these.
While there's no denying that smartphones
are both portable and powerful,
with great power
comes great responsibility.
That's because what you do online
affects what happens in real life.
Which one is me?
At school, I'm super sporty and trendy.
But online, I can totally geek out
on Manga and the ukulele.
If I wear my favorite tie-dye jacket,
I might get one compliment.
-Nice jacket.
-But if I post myself wearing it online
Boom! Compliment overload.
Then again, if I
[phone crashes]
fail IRL
Aggh!
maybe one person will see it
and then quickly forget.
But if I fail on social media,
everybody sees it,
and it sticks around forever.
Keeping track of two yous with one brain
can be exhausting,
so how do you stay sane
and be your best in both worlds?
First, you need to understand
why you and your friends
behave the way you do online.
And to do that,
we're gonna play a game.
-What?.
-In real life.
THIS USER IS OFFLINE
Hmm.
Popular pics.
Take a look at these
two social-media posts.
All you have to do is decide
which one you like better:
selfie cat,
which got over 2 1/2 million likes,
or the chill kangaroo,
which only got 13 likes.
So, got your pick?
Now check out which photo
some other people chose.
I like the cat picture taking the selfie.
I like the cat-selfie one.
I really like the cat selfie.
That looks like the cat is the boss
of all of them, so--
I think it's funnier.
Interesting. So far,
all the volunteers picked Clicky Kitty.
Do you think there's anything we can do
to get more votes for Chill-a-roo?
Let's see what happens
when we make one small change.
I like the kangaroo.
I like the kangaroo,
he's pretty dope.
-I vote for the roo.
-Absolutely.
So, what did we change?
The answer may surprise you.
When we wanted volunteers to pick the cat,
we showed them this version of the photos,
where the cat had 2 1/2 million likes,
and the kangaroo only had a handful.
But when we wanted them
to pick the kangaroo,
we showed them the kangaroo
was the one with 2 1/2 million likes,
while poor kitty only had a few.
So, why would an already popular photo
with tons of likes
make more people like it?
Here to help explain
is our science friend, Alie Ward.
When it comes to humans,
doing and liking what's popular
is something we're hardwired to do.
It's why popular performers
enjoy more fame and fortune
and popular brands and products
sell more merchandise.
So, it only makes sense
that given an uncertain choice,
people tend to follow the herd
and do what's popular.
That's because copying
the behavior of others
is a practical, adaptable behavior
necessary for survival.
Whether it was choosing
between a nutritious or poisonous food
or a safe path over a dangerous one,
going along with the crowd could mean
the difference between life and death.
And while taking pics
of kangaroos or cats is fun
the thing you take pictures of
the most is
yourself!
The average millennial takes
about 25,000 selfies in their lifetime.
Almost every day.
A selfie a day.
Mmm two or three a day.
A groupie, selfie, an us-ie.
I take all those.
But not all selfies are created equal,
we're about to show you
the secret science behind selfies.
Best selfie ever.
Take a look at these photos
of our Selfie Queen.
Which one do you think
will get her the most likes?
Got your pick? I bet you chose
number three.
How do I know?
Because research shows when the camera
is both elevated and tilted,
making the eyes seem larger,
people rate the subjects of the photo
as more likable.
It's why so many people have photos
in the same overused pose.
But people, please, no duck face.
Quack! Quack!
Urrgh!
Once you take that selfie, you'll
want to post it on social media.
But how should you tag it?
Find out in this next game.
Best post ever.
Listen to these three posts,
and decide which one you would like
if you saw it on social media.
I hate that I always get picked
for the lead in the school play.
It's so much commitment!
I got the lead in the school play!
#youknowit.
How am I supposed to memorize
all these lines?! #whatsmyline?
So if you had to pick one,
which post would you like?
Got your answer?
Hang onto it while we show you
a few more posts.
I hate it when the teacher singles me out
for getting the highest test score.
#beingsmartishard.
I got the highest score on the test!
#imagenius.
I hate taking tests. #mathstinks.
Okay.
Got your picks? Fantastic.
Now, let's see if I can predict
which posts you liked.
So, I'm guessing it wasn't the last one.
And it probably wasn't the first one.
Which leaves the middle one.
Did I get it right?
If so, there's a reason for that.
Nobody likes a bragger
or someone who's full of themself,
but there's actually something even worse.
Bragging, but trying to seem
like you're not.
So enter the humblebrag.
I hate that I always get picked
to be the lead in the school play.
I hate it when the teacher singles me out
for getting the highest test score.
Now, while humblebragging might seem like
a less obnoxious strategy than bragging,
be careful,
because it actually might backfire.
Now, in recent studies,
researchers have found
humblebraggers actually come across
as way less likable
than people just outright bragging.
So, if you've got good news to share
I got the lead in the school play!
I got the highest score on the test!
go ahead and own it.
People might even respect you more.
Speaking of,
I look good.
I look good, right now. Ha!
Back in the day,
this was considered social media.
Tweet.
Now, it's something most of us do
on a daily basis.
But that doesn't mean
you can't still find magic in it.
How's it going?
As you're about to see
with illusionist Ben Seidman.
These people have never met Ben before,
but he's about to show them a unique way
to update their social media.
Look up at the camera and smile. Ready?
Back in the day, cameras worked like this.
You hit the button, the photo
would print right out of the camera.
This is before social media,
so if I wanted to share a photo,
I could share it
-Okay.
-with one person.
I would just hand it to you. You might
put it in a picture frame, y'know,
put it behind glass to keep it safe.
But nowadays, very few people
carry around photos like this anymore,
because we all have our phones.
-Ah! Look how cute we are.
-We look adorable. Totally.
-Best of friends.
-Yes.
Well, which one of you do you think
takes the most photos?
Hmm.
-I don’t wanna say it's me--
-That one?
-but probably me.
-Will you hold the camera?
-Sure.
-Do you have a phone?
-Mmhm.
-Can you take it out, please?
You have hundreds,
if not thousands of photos
saved on social media, right?
Hold out your hand.
Yeah. Perfect. Watch closely.
Look how cute we are.
Keep your hand a little bit lower.
Lower your hand. I'm just gonna
Oh, this is perfect. Great.
And would you hold your other hand
like this, palm down.
Yeah, and just cover up the photo.
Great.
-Oh my God.
-You can feel the photo under your hand.
You might even feel this happen.
I just framed our photo.
-No.
-Lift up your hand.
I'm so nervous.
-Oh my God!
-How did it get--
-How did you get it--
-What happened?
What?
-No way.
-What happened?
-You squished it in.
-Wait a second. Is that--
-What?!
-Is that photo actually
underneath the plastic on your phone?
How the heck did you do that?!
-Make sure it's in there.
-I didn't even feel it.
-Let's take a look.
-He did some voodoo thing.
Let's make sure it really is
actually under the case.
Wait.
Is it there?
And this is your phone case, right?
There's no holes in there?
Oh my God.
Is it really
But here's the thing
-Let's say--
-I don't believe this. No way.
And you shouldn't. But let's say
you wanted to share this photo
with more than one person.
You'd be at social media.
-Right?
-Yeah.
Will you unlock your phone?
I won't look.
You use Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, etc?
-Yeah.
-'Cause this photo is almost like it was
in your phone.
But what if it was in your phone?
-Get out of here.
-Open a social-media app.
-What? Get the--
-No way.
How did you get that in?
-Oh my God.
-Show the camera.
No!
This is the most horrifying thing
that someone has ever done.
-You got hacked big time.
-Well here's the thing.
It's magic, but it's an important reminder
that we should really--
We should live our lives in the real world
and not be so concerned
about social media.
-Man.
-I can't believe that happened.
Can you photograph money and put it
in my account?
Can you take the thing out?
What? Where are we looking?
But sometimes, social media can make
you miss more than just the magic trick.
Following, liking, and commenting
on your friends' posts 24/7
can make you miss
what's happening around you.
Oh, a text.
A snap.
Instaglam like.
It's hard enough keeping up with
the online demands from your friends,
but what happens when your social-media
feed becomes the target of enemies?
Bullies used to be a threat
only at school.
Now you got to worry about them
popping up 24 hours a day.
Why is that?
Are people actually meaner online
than they are in real life?
To find out, we're gonna conduct
a very special experiment.
This is Melody, and she wants to be
the next "Pop Star Idol."
Watch her audition video closely,
because you're going to help rate
her performance for us anonymously.
So we need you to be completely honest.
You gotta follow your dreams ♪
Don't be afraid to sing your song ♪
You gotta believe in yourself ♪
You are the best ♪
And never, ever, ever
Ever, ever, ever give up ♪
No matter what anyone says ♪
Okay.
On a scale of one to ten,
ten being the best singer you ever heard
and one being your dad
singing in the shower,
how would you rate Melody,
and what feedback would you give?
Got your rating and feedback?
Keep it in mind as you watch
these two groups of volunteers
who we invited to watch Melody's audition
and then text us their feedback.
What if it's, like, Beyoncé's video?
-Oh.
-Uh oh.
That's not Beyoncé.
Hey, everyone. My name's Melody,
which is really cool
'cause I love to sing.
And my dream
is to be a professional singer.
So, I thought I might as well
sing a song for my audition that I wrote.
-I like her jacket.
-Yeah, me too.
It's about following your dreams.
You gotta follow your dreams ♪
[loudly]
Don't be afraid to sing your song ♪
You got to follow your heart ♪
[out of tune]
Let the whole wide world, sing along ♪
[sings badly]
You gotta believe in yourse-ELF! ♪
You are the best ♪
And never, ever, ever
Ever, ever, ever give up ♪
-Oh come on.
-Come on.
So, you are a star ♪
[very out of tune]
No matter who you are ♪
You gotta do it
Just put your mind to it ♪
Youooooo ♪
Are ahhhh ♪
A staaaaaaaaARRR ♪
Oh, Lord.
They didn't record us laughing?
-No.
-That would be so mean.
That would've been so mean.
Remember, we asked our participants
to text us their rating of Melody
on a scale of one to ten.
Now, listen to what
the first group thought
and see if it's in line
with your rating.
-I'm gonna give her a three.
-I'm gonna give her a calm four.
-What did you give?
-I gave her a five.
I gave her five, too.
She could sing.
She just doesn't know how to--
-I'm gonna give her five.
-I'll be nice. I'm gonna give her a four.
Looks like this group is giving Melody
fours and fives across the board.
How does that compare to your rating?
Will group 2's ratings
will be similar to group 1's?
-Should I say it was decent?
-No.
She has, like, potential--
She does have potential.
She was just singing super high key.
[sings in high voice]
Hi! My name is Melody!
-Yeah, like that.
-That was bad money.
-I'm gonna give it a three.
-I gave her a two.
-I'll say two.
-Yeah, I gave her a two.
"You should seek professional help.
You come off a little strong."
You just suck.
You sing like garbage.
Yikes! The comments from this group
were way harsh.
They even encouraged each other
to lower their initial ratings.
But why? Are these kids just meaner?
Was group 1 just nicer, or
could it have something to do
with the differing instructions
we gave each group?
Hey, guys.
This is what we told group 1.
We may have you read your comments
to us and also to her later.
So, we want you to be completely honest.
Here's what we told group 2.
And remember, your comments
are anonymous,
no one will know who you are.
-Okay.
-All right.
So group 1 thought they might
have to read their feedback
directly to Melody face-to-face.
While group 2 was told
they would not have to meet Melody
and their feedback
would be totally anonymous,
kind of like being online.
But we couldn't let group 2
off the hook that easy, could we?
All right, guys. Thank you so much.
So, one-by-one, we're gonna read
your comments aloud.
-We'll start with you.
-Okay.
Okay. I said, "I would give her a two
because even though--
Oh, sorry, one second.
I wonder if it'll be the girl?
-Hey, guys.
-Go ahead and stand right there.
Whoops! Looks like they do have
to deliver their negative comments
to Melody's face.
Would you be able to do that?
Or would you change your rating
and feedback to soften the blow?
I'm really excited to hear feedback.
Yeah. Sorry, Sue, as you were saying,
go ahead and continue.
I would give her a two because even though
she has potential,
her voice was overpowering,
and her ukulele skills were nonexistent.
She was also very overconfident.
That's a little harsh.
Can I go last?
No, we're actually gonna go in order.
Okay. Your singing was bad money.
That's not how you do it.
You get a two.
-Did they see my video?
-Yeah, yeah.
That was, uh, very honest of you.
Go ahead.
Not very on key, singing-wise,
and need better ukulele skills,
so then I give it a two.
Oh, well, y'know actually I just learned
how to play ukulele, so, I mean
-I'm pretty good for a beginner.
-I'm so sorry.
-I'm sorry, too.
-Thanks for the honesty, guys.
Last, but not least.
So, I would give you a two.
You need to watch your volume,
and I feel like you
if you saw a vocal coach for
professional help, you'd be good.
You know, I happen to know people who
think I'm really good, so these are just--
-This is your opinion.
-Ouch.
Melody seems to have taken
those comments pretty hard.
How do you think group 2 feel about
delivering those mean comments
to her face?
How would you feel if you had to do that?
-I was joking.
-I told you.
-I feel so bad now.
-But she looks like--
You did not read your text word for word.
I did not, but
'cause I wanted to be nice!
It seems like they feel pretty bad,
but there was a bigger purpose
to this experiment
beyond just making them feel bad.
I went a little too far when I said,
y'know about the bad money.
Because it's anonymous, like,
you think you can say what you want,
and you won't get in trouble.
It won't affect you,
but you could've seriously,
made someone feel bad about themselves,
and I did that to someone.
Once someone goes on their screen,
they have a completely different filter.
What you say online
carries a different meaning
than it does in real life sometimes,
and there's a real person
with real feelings who gets hurt by that.
So, if most of us understand online
behavior can have real-life consequences,
why do some people
still behave badly on social media?
The reason people misbehave online
is due to a collection of behaviors
scientists refer to
as the online disinhibition effect.
They include:
Add those up, and social media
is like the perfect storm
for bullying and bad behavior,
which is what we saw in this experiment.
Just like with cyber-bullying,
it's easier to do harm to others
when they aren't right in front of you.
Of course, we didn't want these kids
to go home feeling bad,
so we let them in on one final secret.
Melody isn't really bad money.
She may not be the next "Pop Star Idol,"
but she can carry a tune.
[sings perfectly]
Always believe in yourself ♪
And never, ever, ever, ever give up ♪
-That was good.
-Yeah, that was good.
Perfect watch right here.
You can wear it,
but I keep it in my bag: safety reasons.
This is about beef cattle.
There's many types.
A lotta people don't know that.
My friend hasn't got a camera, so if
he wants a picture of his cat
he calls me up.
Hereford cattle, Brahman cattle,
Charolais.
It's a white breed of French origin,
which was introduced to the USA in 1936.
-Lotta people don't know that.
-I did. I read that one.
Gary, we're having
a serious conversation, okay?