People think Netflix is using fake accounts to spread viral memes about 'Bird Box,' but there's no evidence that's true

Since "Bird Box" was released on Netflix on December 21, Twitter has been flooded with memes about the movie.

The film is about a character played by Sandra Bullock navigating through a haunted forest while blindfolded, so there are a lot of jokes about characters not being totally aware of their surroundings.

But to some people, the hype seems fake. One journalist alleged that Netflix is using fake accounts, stealing photos from children to appear real, to spread "Bird Box" memes.

The theory went viral, but it doesn't hold up to scrutiny. Take almost any viral tweet about the movie, and you'll see that it comes from an account that's been around for years.

It's tempting to think that the enthusiasm for "Bird Box" is somehow manufactured. The movie has middling reviews, so some people may find it surprising that there are a lot of people passionate enough about it to make and share memes.

Read more: 'Bird Box' is a passable thriller carried by an outstanding performance from Sandra Bullock — here's what critics are saying

But there's a more likely explanation: Bored American teens and college students are on break for the holidays, and a lot of people are at home simply watching a lot of Netflix.

"Bird Box" is Netflix's new big movie that started streaming when most breaks started, and the main demographic that makes memes seems to be watching it.

If you look at the accounts sharing some of the most viral tweets, they tend to tweet a lot of memes — not just about "Bird Box" — and they retweet a lot of memes about school.

Explore BI Games

Take a smarter break in your day - and see how far you get.

Play now

Want more Business Insider in your news feed?

Add BI in Google so our reporting is easier to find when you’re searching for what matters.

Add to Preferred Sources

And the movie is legitimately popular. According to Netflix, more than 45 million accounts watched the film, the company's record for seven days of viewership.

It's true that some of the accounts tweeting memes may be fake, but that's not something unique to "Bird Box" memes. One strategy bot-makers use to make accounts seem legitimate is copying viral tweets. That way, they get engagement that appears to be organic even when the tweet isn't theirs.

In fact, the first tweet pointed out in the theory is a rip-off from a tweet that went viral from a regular account.

And the user is alarmed they're being called a bot.

In an age where bots proliferate through the internet, it's understandable that people would get paranoid about what's real and what's fake. But sometimes, the scandal just isn't there. People just seem to really like "Bird Box."

• Read more:
• 'Bird Box' is a passable thriller carried by an outstanding performance from Sandra Bullock — here's what critics are saying
• Stephen King was 'riveted' by Netflix's new thriller, 'Bird Box,' and slammed critics for suffering from 'Netflix Prejudice'
• A woman's phone automatically made a cheery video from her car-crash photos — and the result is morbidly hilarious

Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.