Key Takeaways
The clear subject
A DailyTube message arrived inside WhatsApp with a link that looked like an install push, not a friendly share.
The confusing blend
A joking German-language line, lots of hashtags, and a cute animal clip sat next to that app prompt, making the whole moment feel mixed and uneasy.
The small lesson inside it
The same moment also explained modern short videos: why YouTube calls the format “Shorts,” what “vertical video” means, and why turning a phone sideways changes how the picture looks.
Story & Details
A quick evening, now in the past
In the Netherlands (Europe), on Sunday, December fourteen, two thousand twenty-five, a WhatsApp chat showed two video calls close together. One ran for three minutes at 20:43 local time, 20:43 Dutch time. The next ran for nine minutes at 20:47 local time, 20:47 Dutch time.
A meme-style German line
After the calls, a short German-language slogan appeared in a playful tone. It read like a joke about a group of friends staying “fat,” with a slang word for “friends” carrying the punch.
The DailyTube turn
Then the mood changed. A message urged the use of DailyTube and pointed to Google Play, alongside a package-style name that looked like “free.daily.tube.background.” That detail made the message feel less personal and more like a push. In many scam patterns, the humor is the wrapper and the install link is the real aim.
The chubby-seal short video
A YouTube short-form clip was part of the same flow. It used chubby seals and flashing words. The words were very simple: “I,” “less,” “because,” “fat,” “correct,” “hmm,” “whatever,” “one.” The meaning landed as a blunt, silly shrug—someone thinks about eating less, then decides to stay the same. Confusion made sense here, because this kind of clip is built for quick laughs, not for clarity.
A caption that fits the joke
A simple retell matched the tone best: a diet idea, a pause, a shrug, and a final line about staying chubby.
Why “Shorts” is plural, and what “vertical” means
YouTube uses “Shorts” as the name of the whole format. One item can be called “a short video,” but the format shelf is still “Shorts.” These videos are usually vertical, meaning taller than wide, like a phone held upright. If the phone is turned sideways while watching, the video often stays narrow with empty space on the sides, or it zooms and cuts off the top and bottom. The same rule applies when filming: upright recording tends to create vertical video, and sideways recording tends to create horizontal video.
Conclusions
This small WhatsApp episode, already past as of Monday, December fifteen, two thousand twenty-five, carried two feelings at once. The short video felt harmless and silly. The DailyTube install nudge felt sharper, like a door handle that should not be pulled without care. Between them, a tiny modern media lesson appeared: short videos move fast, jokes can be a wrapper, and the shape of a screen can change what a viewer sees.
Selected References
[1] https://faq.whatsapp.com/1142481766359885
[2] https://faq.whatsapp.com/414631957536067
[3] https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/2812853?hl=en
[4] https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/10059070?hl=en
[5] https://business.gov.nl/running-your-business/security-and-fraud/phishing/
[6] https://youtu.be/G66bLTiqNXw
Appendix
Account compromise
A situation where someone else uses an account to send messages or links that do not match the owner’s intent.
DailyTube
An app name that appeared in a message that looked like an install push through Google Play.
Dawg
A slang word that can mean a friend or buddy in casual speech.
Dutch mini-lesson
Ik bel je later. Whole-sentence use: a friendly way to say a call will happen later. Word-by-word: Ik = I; bel = call; je = you; later = later. Register: everyday and warm. Natural variants: Ik bel later; Ik bel je straks.
German meme slogan
A short German-language joke line that framed “friends” staying “fat,” using slang tone rather than formal language.
Google Play
Google’s official store for Android apps, where apps are listed and installed.
Google Play Protect
A built-in Google feature that checks apps and can warn about harmful behavior.
Hashtag
A label that starts with a hash sign and groups content under a tag.
Horizontal video
A video shape that is wider than it is tall, like many television screens.
Phishing
A scam that tries to trick people into clicking unsafe links or giving away sensitive information.
Short video
A very short video designed for quick viewing, often made to loop in a scrolling feed.
Vertical video
A video shape that is taller than it is wide, matching a phone held upright.
A messaging app used for text, calls, and links, with tools for blocking and reporting.
YouTube Shorts
YouTube’s name for its short-form vertical video format and feed.
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 