How to tell if a video is a screamer
halloween is fast approaching, and sending screamers has become an increasingly popular trend over the past few years. while some people may enjoy them, they can also trigger anxiety attacks in others.
check the section/category of a video. if it’s under “comedy”, “prank”, “horror”, or something similar, close the tab immediately.
comments are also a giveaway. scroll to the comments section before playing a video. if comments are disabled, there’s a likely chance the video is a screamer. close the tab right away. if you see comments like “whoa, that made me jump!”, close the window! and if it’s impossible to disable comments, look for multiple comments deleted by the creator.
check out the video itself, while it’s paused. if it has very low music (this makes the audience want to turn the volume up, so the scream is louder and scarier), or if it has very small text (which makes you want to go into full screen), that’s a good indication that it’s a screamer. exit out and close the tab!
look at the content of the video. if the clip itself deals with the scary or supernatural, like a film about ghosts, you can’t be certain. be careful, and exit the tab if the content seems triggering. pause the video and forward all the way to the end. If everything is good feel free to watch. if a frame with a scary picture comes up, close the tab immediately.
if the video shows a room or picture, and invites you to “find what’s wrong in the picture”, or “find _____”, close the window immediately!
there’s a new trend going on where videos describing people reacting to screamers are actually screamers themselves. if you suspect this, scroll down and see the comments. if the maker of the video disabled comments to purposely lead viewers to believe the video is genuine, scroll down just enough to see the video time, so you don’t see the video itself. Turn the volume down, just in case it is a screamer, and if the video plays out and there’s no scream, it’s safe to watch.
check the time on the video. if it’s suspiciously short, exit the tab.
look at the related or recommended videos. if any of them fit the above, the video is a screamer.
stay safe this halloween season!
