ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Crisis actor

Okay kiddo, there’s this thing called a crisis actor. Some people think that in times of a big emergency or crisis, like a shooting or a natural disaster, some of the people we see on TV crying or talking about what happened might actually be actors.

Now, that’s not true at all. When there’s a crisis, the people we see on TV or in the news are usually real people who were there and experienced what happened.

Unfortunately, some people believe in these conspiracy theories that say these actors are “crisis actors” and they’re being paid to pretend to be survivors or witnesses to make the crisis seem worse than it really is.

But, that’s just not true. It’s really important to trust the people who are telling us what’s happening during a crisis, because they’re usually the ones who can help us stay safe and know what to do.
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