Shrimp Jesus
Amid rampant engagement hacks and bots on social media platforms, bizarre AI-generated images are currently flooding Facebook, giving rise to meme-worthy images dubbed “Evil Jesus.”
What is “Ebi Jesus”?
“Shrimp Jesus” is a surreal and often disturbing depiction of Jesus Christ fused with sea creatures such as crabs and shrimp.
The aforementioned image was generated by AI and is an offshoot of the large amount of AI-generated spam that has recently spread across Facebook as a type of engagement hack.
While most of these images feature more traditional depictions of Jesus, “Jesus the Shrimp” drew widespread attention to the phenomenon and confused reaction From online commentators.
Why do AI-generated images like “Ebi Jesus” spread through Facebook?
Young internet users have grown up in an age of misinformation and have witnessed the rise of AI-generated images. Many have adapted by learning how to spot clues.
Older adults generally find it difficult to recognize images generated by AI. Obvious signs such as twisted limbs or deformed hands are not always present in the output of popular image generation programs such as Midjourney.
While younger internet users flocked to TikTok, Instagram and X (Twitter), older people remained on Facebook. So Facebook is steadily filling up with AI-generated garbage posted by spam accounts trying to maximize engagement by any means necessary.
A study by the Stanford Internet Observatory that tracked this phenomenon claims that these spam accounts increase engagement, algorithmic reach, and credibility by purchasing large numbers of bot followers.
The goal is to push these AI-generated images onto the timelines of as many real Facebook users as possible, potentially redirecting them to content farms and other low-quality sites.
This has led to a proliferation of fake “feel good” stories accompanied by AI-generated images of grandmothers celebrating birthdays or children standing next to elaborate sculptures that appear to have been carved or assembled by hand. There is.
This phenomenon has been widely discussed on media-savvy platforms, with commentators both amused and concerned by the trend.
A recent investigation by 404Media found that AI-generated images were being pushed to unsuspecting users through Facebook’s recommendation engine Suggested for You, which was implemented in 2022.
Fast forward a little further to 2018, and Facebook appears to have laid the foundation for today’s tsunami of AI pollution, as the social media platform deliberately deprioritized content published by brands and news organizations.
“We have a responsibility to make our services not only fun to use, but also good for people’s health,” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a Facebook post announcing the changes. “I feel that,” he said.
At the time, Zuckerberg seemed optimistic, adding that the changes “should encourage meaningful interactions between people.”
Ironically, algorithmic changes have facilitated the opposite, leading to clusters of bots commenting on bizarre images created by AI, making dead internet theories materialize before our eyes.
The age of AI-generated spam is here, and it’s like Shrimp Jesus.
