Imagine being too lazy to play a 2 second game where all proceeds go to a good cause.

That's the sentiment being echoed across TikTok right now, as millions of users participate in various forms of the "filter for good" trend.

Essentially, it involves a user plugging an effect they've created, encouraging others to participate. The more people get involved, the more money the creator makes — all of which they claim they'll donate to charities.

It's the latest iteration of digital activism sweeping social media platforms, but it does sound a little too good to be true — so, is it?

What is the filter for good trend?

Filters are essentially AI lenses that distort or modify your camera, "beautifying" you, making you look silly or telling you which Bluey character you are.

Crystal Abidin, a professor of Internet Studies at Curtin University and the founder of the TikTok Cultures Research Network, says these days, filters can even be gamified.

You might nod or blink to move something around your screen, "sort of like a Space Invaders-style, very basic game".

Filters were originally provided by TikTok (and a chosen few creators) but, after the launch of the Effect Creator Rewards in May, regular users can now get paid to create them.

While there are certain restrictions — an effect must be used 200k times in the first three months to be eligible — essentially almost anyone can produce and make money off their very own filter.

Enter: Filter for good.

TikTok's Jourdan is behind the filter for good.(TikTok: xojourdanlouise)

Content creator Jourdan was behind the original viral push, creating a game that involves collecting watermelon seeds along a path, a nod to watermelons as the symbol of Palestinian solidarity.

She says she'll donate all the money she makes to charities in Gaza. And after more than 8 million posts using her filter, she easily reached the maximum payout of $14k in just a few weeks.

Since then, other watermelon filters have popped up across the app, with their creators making similar promises.

How effective is social media activism?

Kelly Lewis, an expert in digital media activism at Monash University, says young people are frustrated by what they see as inadequate coverage by traditional news outlets, and use social media to access a wider variety of news, information, and diversity of voices.

"There's been a lot of backlash, predominantly against Western mainstream media, [against some of the] racist and very reductive framing around Israel and Palestinian issues."

She says many people have used apps like TikTok to raise awareness, express their indignation, mobilise and now, raise funds.

But she says people wanting to engage in activism should think about "what the most responsible form and what the most effective form is".

While she doesn't want to diminish advocacy work by young people with good intentions, she says that not all activism is equally productive — and can even be counterproductive.

"For example, during the Black Lives Matter protests people posting black squares on their platforms [was seen as] a simple way to show your participation and solidarity."

The #blacklivesmatter hashtag on Instagram once people started posting black tiles.(Twitter: )

However, she says this ended up having the unintended effect of flooding social media platforms, burying other voices and forms of activism and hiding news that should have got more attention.

"Information competes on these platforms. So, while something might be trending and popular, that can also lead to suppressing other things that are more important."

How effective could filter activism be?

Using a filter as a form of protest, or in lieu of making a donation, doesn't take much thought, effort or time, and Dr Lewis suggests thinking about it critically.

She referred to the concepts of "clicktivism" or "slacktivism" which mean supporting a cause only via social media or online petitions, without significant investment or commitment, often with limited results.

"If you're choosing to engage in a low stakes form of activism, [it's worth asking yourself] the reasons you're doing that," Dr Lewis says.

"Is it to fulfill your own desires to feel good about yourself? Or are you doing it because you actually really want to do something? If so, think about how you could participate in the most productive way."

But for Professor Abidin, filter activism marks a new step in clicktivism.

"When your attention and your virality can actually be converted into money now, then there actually is a bit of value in your slacktivism.

"I do feel like there is a big game changer here … because there's an actionable, tangible output, rather than just a random flood of black tiles."

How might TikTok's filters be used for future fundraising?

The lack of context around filters can dilute their message.

While Jourdan initially explained how her filter's intention was to support Gaza in her own video, this is less clear from TikTok's generic filter menu.

When users go to create a post, they simply see numerous trending filters — including a game involving watermelons, vaguely titled "filter for good".

Various versions of activist TikTok filters have popped up across the app.(TikTok: omydash, llilmaz, therealoverloadcomedy)

"Sometimes when these filters go viral, lots of people who may not understand the wider politics are just using the filter without any wider knowledge or intention," Professor Abidin says.

She remembers how, at the height of the 2020 bushfires in Australia, filters were created to mimic the flames animals were enveloped in, to raise awareness.

Of course, this original intention soon became lost, with the filter being used in memes and other conversation, sometimes alongside the term "fire!", which is popular slang for something that's cool/hot.

"So, when it's translated as if x number of million people endorsed this filter … really we're forgetting that when things go viral, not a lot of people actually listen to the rhetoric and the ethos – a lot of it is band wagoning."

Professor Abidin says if a user posts a video and asks for likes or shares to support a specific cause, at least those who follow through know what they're supporting.

But when it comes to filters, where whatever's trending is promoted, Professor Abidin says users may assume TikTok endorses it, and whatever cause it's linked to.

She says this lack of context around filters and their intentions could lead to a possible moderation headaches for the app.

"Let's say, a very outlandish example: A million people have watched a filter endorsing white supremacy, and the [creator says] they're going to fund a Nazi organisation.

"How is TikTok going to backpedal on that? Because it did say [it would pay creators]."

Can social media activism do more harm than good?

Dr Lewis says we need to be extra cautious about any activism that creates monetary value.

When crowdfunding appeals directly ask for donations she says "it's not hard to do your homework" on their reputability.

When it comes to filters or other forms of views-are-pay activism, it's still worth considering the value of your time.

Professor Abidin adds that "there is not a lot of transparency [around] the pathways for how the money goes from the creator and then elsewhere", to the charities they've promised.

"[If] you're reading it as if TikTok endorses the filter, endorses whatever [it] implies it's going to fundraise for, the responsibility tilts more towards the platform ... to handle the money [and ensure it's] used correctly."

Dr Lewis also warns about the power of sharing content.

"Before you post anything, it's really worth just taking a moment to pause and to think critically: Does this make sense, could it contribute harm?

"If you're not sure, then don't do post or reshare, because you could be contributing to misinformation or disinformation, and you really need to think about the gravity of that.

"We know that disinformation spread across social media platforms is leading to offline violence, we have seen it on numerous occasions."

Even when content is verified, she suggests using caution before sharing graphic images of violence, which reduce people to victims in "their most vulnerable of states".

Most of all, before posting, she urges people to remember that "this is not just content – these are real people".

TikTok and the filter for good's creator, Jourdan, were contacted for comment.