Unfortunately, this type of post (“Find the answer in the comments / Viral optical illusion…”) is a classic clickbait (so-called engagement bait) that has taken social media by storm.

It’s often presented as a video that invites viewers to reveal a shocking truth or the correct solution in the comments.

How do these tricks work, and why do they drive us crazy?

Endless loop: The video compels you to watch it repeatedly (loop) because you’re waiting for a resolution that isn’t included in the video itself.

Fake comments: The caption refers to the comments. There, you’ll find thousands of people arguing about the answer, but these are often bots or confused users. A real, clear explanation is usually missing.

Algorithmic Fraud: Every click on a comment, every personal opinion (“I see a lion!”) or every repeated view signals to the algorithm (TikTok, Instagram, Facebook) that the post is particularly interesting. This is how the platform earns money through advertising.

What now?

If you’re genuinely interested in a specific optical illusion, the fastest way to find the truth is outside of social media:

Take a screenshot of the illusion.

Upload it to Google Image Search (Google Lens).

This way, you can almost always find the original article, the author’s name, or a well-founded explanation on reputable websites without having to read thousands of unnecessary comments.

Tip: Describe the image or the principle of the illusion to me in detail (e.g., “They are rotating circles that aren’t moving” or “Clothes arguing about color”), and I’ll gladly explain the principle of this particular illusion to you immediately and easily!