Analysis of the “Digital Prank” Phenomenon From the Psychology Perspective

Abstract

This study aims at understanding the motivations and emotions of prank proprietors. The prank phenomenon that is now gaining popularity in society is seen as something that causes material losses such as money and goods as well as immaterial such as trauma and distrust. The informan of this study are 3 (three) YouTubers who have created prank content and uploaded it to YouTube (prank proprietors). This research was conducted in DKI Jakarta and Central Java. The data were collected through a phenomenological approach by conducting interviews to focus more on the concept of a phenomenon. The results show that there are two types of pranks: the pranks that go beyond the boundaries of fairness that potentially harm others and the pranks that go on the verge of fairness that does not harm others. The actors produce pranks to make entertaining content, hone creativity, and get financial profits.

Prank as Money Fetishism, Criticism of Youtuber Celebrities

“…Imron Rosyidi revealed that YouTubers create prank content for reasons of entertainment, fun and to make money. The reason for earning money is very logical because this research shows that prank content tends to be liked by netizens or viewers (Haq & Rosyidi, 2021). The perception of the type of prank doesn't matter.…”

Prank content creation and its implication on the Nigerian society: An exploratory study of Facebook prank videos

“…There are incidents in which, in the name of playing pranks, people are crossing the line, invading other people's privacy, and sometimes infringing on their fundamental human rights. Haq and Rosyidi (2021) observed that the most disturbing aspect of pranks is that they impair society's ability to distinguish between actual and phony events. It is against this backdrop that this paper seeks to examine the social implications of pranks in Nigerian society.…”