Why you still need to 'Report It!'
Social media enables animal lovers to share their passion online, however the popularity of animal ‘content’ has also given rise to a dark side, in which domestic animals and wildlife are cruelly exploited for the sake of clicks.
This cruelty may cynically seek to elicit outrage responses, or it may hide under a false ‘feel good’ factor – in the guise of apparent fun, cuteness or faked rescues. Animal lovers engage with this content, not realising that this actually boosts it and causes further animal suffering.
Until 27 September, as a member of the Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition, we’re joining in Report It! Week to explore the difficult topic of online animal cruelty, why it matters, and what each of us can do when we encounter it. Find out more below.
You don’t need to be an activist to help.
Sometimes, change starts with knowing what to do when you see something. We hope you’ll join us this Report It! Week and help us spread awareness and create a safer world for animals.
Let’s start at the beginning.
WHAT IS ONLINE ANIMAL CRUELTY?
Animal cruelty online doesn’t always look like obvious violence. It can include animals being deliberately frightened, teased, injured, exploited or forced into unnatural situations, all for content. It can also be disguised as something entertaining, cute or compassionate. An animal may appear calm. A video may look funny. A situation may even be presented as loving or harmless.
So it might look like:
- wild animals kept or presented as pets
- animals put into human clothing and situations
- animals trained to perform for entertainment
- fake/staged scenarios such as rescues or interactions between animals
- animals used to generate views, engagement or profit
The content may only last a few seconds on your screen. But what the animal experiences to create that content can last much longer.
The first step is learning to SEE IT.
Before you watch, like, comment or share, ask yourself: What is really happening to this animal?
ASK YOURSELF: WHAT’S THE ISSUE?
It just takes a few moments. Before you engage with animal content online, consider:
- Is this a wild animal?
- Can the animal leave the situation?
- Is it being forced to behave unnaturally?
- Does it look stressed, frightened or uncomfortable?
- What happened before the camera started recording?
- What happens to the animal when the camera stops?
Elephants being made to perform for tourists. Slow lorises being “tickled”. Monkeys dressed in clothes. Pets being repeatedly frightened for a reaction.
Situations can on the surface be presented as heartwarming or fun, but the animal’s experience matters more than the way the content is framed. Look beyond the screen. Think about the animal.
We can all do our bit by understanding that this content is animal cruelty, plain and simple. It is vital then to avoid any sort of engagement with this content – don’t watch it again, share or even comment negatively on it, all of which will only boost its reach, and instead report it to the platforms who host it, as well as to SMACC.
Follow @socialmedia.animalcruelty and visit www.endcrueltyonline.com to learn more about how you can help.
Report It! week 2026 will close with a public webinar SMACC 101: See It, Think, Act. Your Role in Ending Online Animal Cruelty which will explore common questions through simple explanations, real examples, interactive polls and an open Q&A:
- What happens when we like, comment, share or simply watch?
- How can everyday online behaviour unintentionally contribute to harm?
- When should we report?
- When is not sharing actually the most powerful action?
- And what else can we do, without needing to be an activist or animal welfare professional?
27/28 September 2026
Two sessions for global audiences
Zoom + YouTube Livestream
Save the date and stay tuned to our social media for registration details.
Report It! Week
21-27 September 2026
Report It! Week is a week-long global digital movement led by the members of the Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition (SMACC), calling on social media users across the globe—from animal protection workers and social media staff to everyday social media users—to take a stand against online animal cruelty
