It started when Squealer, now head of Content Optimization, trotted onto the newly built “Truth Stage” (formerly the manure pile). “Comrades,” he squeaked, adjusting his tiny pair of wire-rimmed glasses. “The humans have a device called a ‘phone.’ And on that phone, they watch moving pictures of dancing goats and cats falling off shelves. We shall give them… us .”

Squealer smiled. The next morning, Pinkeye’s channel was gone. In its place was a short video of Napoleon eating a full bucket of apples, captioned: Sorry, I’m just a little pig. LOL. #NoConspiracies.

The first video was simple: Boxer, the loyal cart-horse, repeating “I will work harder” while hauling a boulder twice his size. Squealer added a stirring piano melody and a caption: When you forget to cancel your hay subscription. It got 47 million views.