PU Riz Questions Viral Culture, Says Meaningless Content Is Being Glorified
PETALING JAYA: Celebrity preacher Haris Ismail, also known as PU Riz, has voiced concern over the growing social media culture that appears to reward sensational and low-quality content purely for popularity and online attention.
According to the husband of Neelofa, today’s online environment is vastly different from the past, with educational and meaningful content struggling to gain visibility while controversial material spreads rapidly.
He said many social media users are now more attracted to extreme entertainment content to the point where inappropriate behaviour is slowly becoming normalised within society.
“Sometimes the stranger or more ridiculous the content is, the faster it becomes viral online.
“This situation causes beneficial content to receive less attention while meaningless material is celebrated,” he said in a post on Threads.
Concern Over Children Being Used for Online Content
Haris Ismail also expressed disappointment over some parents who openly expose their children on social media in pursuit of views, followers and popularity.
He claimed that certain parents are encouraging their children to create content without properly considering the long-term impact on their dignity and personal development.
“There are parents who become too excited when their children gain online attention and eventually forget about important boundaries.
“When such content receives millions of views, others begin copying it and treating it as normal behaviour,” he said.
According to him, such trends could negatively shape younger generations who are growing up in an environment heavily influenced by social media validation and public attention.
Religious Advice Often Criticised Online
At the same time, Haris Ismail questioned the attitude of certain social media users who refuse to accept advice, especially when it comes from religious figures.
He said individuals who attempt to remind others about moral values and religious boundaries are often criticised and labelled negatively.
“When someone tries to give advice or reminders, they are immediately accused of being old-fashioned or narrow-minded.
“In reality, the intention is simply to guide society towards better values,” he said.
He stressed that Muslims should continue using religious teachings as guidance when deciding what is appropriate to share or promote on social media platforms.
The post shared by Haris Ismail has attracted widespread reactions online, with many users agreeing that sensational content now gains more traction than educational or meaningful discussions.
