(And Who’s Letting It Happen)

Cruelty as Clickbait
Some people film themselves hurting monkeys, tying them up, beating them, mocking them and post it online for views.
- These aren’t isolated incidents. They’re part of a disturbing subculture.
- The goal? Shock, virality, and in some cases, money.
- Platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok have been slow to remove this content, even when flagged.
It’s not just cruelty. It’s monetised violence. And it’s happening in plain sight.

The “Monkey Haters” Network
In 2023–2024, investigators uncovered a global ring of animal abusers who called themselves “monkey haters.”
- They shared videos of torture in private Telegram and Facebook groups.
- Some paid others to hurt monkeys on camera.
- The group included people from the US, UK, Indonesia, and Latin America.
This wasn’t fringe. It was organised. And it took years for platforms and law enforcement to act.

Who Got Caught
Let’s name and shame.
- Paul David Roberts, a UK man, was sentenced in 2024 for distributing monkey torture videos. He was part of the “monkey haters” ring.
- Richard McCormick, from the US, was charged with conspiracy to commit animal cruelty.
- Several others were arrested in Indonesia for filming and selling abuse content.
These weren’t anonymous trolls. They were real people, with real names, doing real harm.

Why Humans Do This
Cruelty to animals often stems from:
- Power fantasies: Hurting something weaker makes some people feel strong.
- Emotional detachment: They see animals as objects, not beings.
- Online validation: Likes, shares, and group approval reinforce the behaviour.
- Mental illness or sadism: In some cases, there’s deeper pathology.
But none of this excuses it. It explains and demands accountability.

Platform Failure
Social media platforms have been slow to act.
- YouTube hosted monkey abuse videos for years, often monetised.
- Facebook allowed private groups to flourish.
- Telegram became a hub for encrypted sharing.
Even when flagged, content often stayed up. Algorithms prioritised engagement over ethics. And moderation lagged behind cruelty.

So why do humans behave like this?
Because cruelty is easy, and platforms made it profitable. Because empathy isn’t universal. Because laws are slow, and enforcement is patchy.

But also, because silence lets it happen.
Every time someone scrolls past, shrugs, or says “it’s just a monkey,” the spiral deepens.

Final Thought
If you want to measure a society’s soul, look at how it treats its animals. Monkey torture videos aren’t just disturbing; they’re a symptom of a deeper rot. And the people who film, share, watch or ignore them? They’re not just failing morally. They’re failing evolution.
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