Why Kurzgesagt’s Video on Meat Is Misleading Millions

7 things their video got wrong — and a message to its creators

Kurzgesagt is one of the most influential educational channels on YouTube, renowned for making complex topics accessible. But in their recent video on animal welfare, they didn’t just miss the mark — they seriously misrepresented the issue.

To their credit, Kurzgesagt attempted to address this urgent topic — something many platforms avoid. But that makes the video’s failures even more troubling: it offers the illusion of progress while reinforcing myths that prop up one of the most violent industries on Earth.

In this article, I break down the video’s most critical flaws — and offer a direct message to the team behind it. I genuinely hope the creators will take these concerns seriously, reflect on them honestly, and rise to the standards they claim to stand for.

Breaking down the issues with Kurzgesagt’s video

Problem 1: Pushing the high-welfare meat fantasy

The video presents itself as pragmatic, as if all the proposed changes could realistically be implemented. It suggests that farms would adopt better animal welfare practices if consumers were simply willing to pay “a tad more” — for example, using anaesthesia for piglet castration if meat cost just 1 cent more per kilo.

This is pure wishful thinking. In reality, the animal agriculture lobby fights “hard and dirty” against even basic animal welfare protections.

Countless investigations have shown that claims of humane treatment of farmed animals are misleading. An in-depth article in The Guardian concluded, “There’s no such thing as humane meat or eggs. Stop kidding yourself.” Many experts agree: terms like “pasture-raised,” “humane,” “responsible,” and “cage-free” are often deceptive, fostering misplaced trust in an industry that has done little to earn it. The assumption that consumer willingness to pay slightly more will fundamentally change the deeply entrenched structure of this industry — and its merciless exploitation of animals — is absurd.

The top-rated comment on Kurzgesagt’s video captures it well: “‘How about we increase the prices by 50%, but don’t make the animals’ lives better?’ — meat companies”.

Problem 2: When torture becomes a footnote

In the conclusion of the video, Kurzgesagt suggests that viewers should “maybe avoid the worst torture meat — at least sometimes.” Let’s take the word “meat” out to see what’s really being said: Maybe avoid the worst torture — at least sometimes.

Let that sink in. They explicitly acknowledge these systems as torture — then suggest it’s fine to keep supporting them, as long as you maybe skip it now and then.

How can you recognize horrific violence — and then casually brush it aside? Especially when it’s completely unnecessary? We don’t need animal products to survive or thrive. Normalizing such extreme, avoidable cruelty — fully aware of what it entails — and framing that choice as reasonable isn’t just disappointing. It’s appalling.

Problem 3: Ignoring the most effective solution

From start to finish, the video treats plant-based eating as unrealistic — and, absurdly, doesn’t even mention it as a possible solution. Instead, it offers vague or far-fetched “solutions” (see Problem 1), while skipping one of the simplest and most powerful actions: cutting out meat, eggs, and dairy.

This isn’t a fringe idea. Tens of millions of people around the world already live plant-based. It’s doable, it’s growing, and experts recognize it as one of the most effective ways to reduce harm to animals and the planet.

Living plant-based is the clearest way to reject the largest act of violence in human history. It improves health, saves money, and reduces harm. Presenting it as out of reach — while promoting fantasy-level reforms — is more than misleading. It actively steers viewers away from real change.

Problem 4: A narrow lens on a global catastrophe

One of the most glaring flaws is the video’s narrow focus on a few forms of animal suffering — while ignoring the broader destruction caused by animal agriculture.

Kurzgesagt has explored many of these bigger-picture issues in past videos. So why ignore them here?

The video doesn’t mention animal ag’s impact on world hunger, ocean dead zones, deforestation, biodiversity loss, water and air pollution, climate breakdown, antibiotic resistance, or pandemic risk — despite overwhelming evidence.

This isn’t a small oversight. Animal agriculture is one of the most destructive industries on Earth. Omitting that isn’t just incomplete — it’s dangerously misleading.

Problem 5: Selling hope without truth

Kurzgesagt claims things are “getting better” — a feel-good statement that misrepresents reality. Worldwide, meat consumption continues to rise rapidly. Factory farming is expanding, not shrinking. Billions of animals are still trapped in systems that subject them to immense and ongoing suffering.

Yes, there are reasons for hope — and it’s crucial not to lose sight of those. But hope must not come at the cost of truth. The suffering is not decreasing. It’s still growing. And change won’t happen on its own.

Problem 6: Overlooking pricing complexity

The video uses outdated and oversimplified price calculations — failing to account for major regional differences. In the U.S., for example, egg prices fluctuate wildly due to inflation and disease outbreaks.

That makes global price comparisons tricky — and misleading. Consumers might wrongly assume they’re funding better welfare, simply because their food costs more.

Problem 7: Sanitizing systemic cruelty

The video presents beak clipping as a welfare improvement — without mentioning that beaks are nerve-dense and sensitive. It’s not a mild adjustment. It’s mutilation.

Kurzgesagt also omits common practices like forced impregnation, newborn-mother separation, and mass killings via gas chambers. The video defines “decent” conditions in a way that still includes these brutal practices — raising the question: what could possibly be considered decent about such treatment?

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My message to Kurzgesagt

Dear Kurzgesagt, with your massive audience and your reputation for clarity, you hold real power. But with great influence comes great responsibility. And here, you’ve missed the mark — badly.

Your animal welfare video doesn’t just fall short. It misleads. It omits critical facts. It presents wishful thinking as pragmatic policy — and sends a dangerous message that downplays the scale and stakes of systemic cruelty.

Because of your signature visuals and scientific tone, viewers trust your content. But this video creates a feel-good illusion — not an honest reckoning.

This isn’t the first time you’ve mishandled this subject. After backlash to your last meat video, we expected better — not a repeat. The fact that these inaccuracies persist forces us to seriously question your commitment to accuracy and intellectual integrity.

Give us a reason to restore that trust:

1. Own your mistakes, publicly. The strength of any serious platform lies in its ability to admit when it got something wrong — especially when the stakes are this high.

2. Bring in real expertise. These mistakes could have been avoided with input from people who understand this industry deeply and critically. Without that, maybe don’t touch this topic again.

3. Treat this topic with the seriousness it demands. This isn’t an abstract policy debate. It’s a system of violence affecting billions of sentient beings, the planet, and public health. Use your influence responsibly.

If this message matters to you, please share it. The more people see it, the more likely Kurzgesagt is to take notice — and improve how they use their powerful platform.