'Human Meat Project' doesn't promote cannibalism; it is a 'conceptual art project'

Context 

A website called the "Human Meat Project" has been causing consternation on social media. Many users on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have alleged that the website promotes cannibalism as it purports to seek online donations of human bodies as a food source. A Facebook user has shared an image of a "donor card" and a link to the "About Us" page of the website in her post.

The website states, "Welcome to the Human Meat Project, we are the human meat donation program. By donating bodies for human consumption, we are taking action to solve overpopulation, which leads to climate change and the greenhouse effect caused by the mass farming of livestock animals in order to feed the world."

In Fact

The "Human Meat Project" website purports that based on the average weight of 55kg and height of 165 cm, "one body can feed up to 40 people." It claims this could "end world starvation, overpopulation, and climate change." It adds, "By consuming human meat, we create a change in both our life and the world. By improving the standard quality of life in every country and nation, we can give everyone in the world a good life."

However, despite the claims on social media, the website, on its "Terms and Conditions" page, states that this is an art project: "This is purely a conceptual art project and will not be acted out in real life," adding that it encourages the public to read the policy and shows how company services' limit our rights in the services they provide. "Human Meat Project is a conceptual art project to give an understanding of the importance of accepting any services' policy and agreements," it explains.

The website's creator told AP that this is "only an art piece" created "in absurdism and to be as realistic as possible." "The fine print of this art project is to give a full shock to the audience and encourage them to dig through the website to find out the answer and form an opinion for themselves," they added.

Logically Facts has also reached out to the website for comment. The article will be updated upon receiving a response.

Meanwhile, this is not the first time the website has irked social media users. Various fact-checking organizations debunked similar claims linked to the website circulating on social media in December 2022.

The Verdict

The group, Human Meat Project, does exist, along with its website. However, the website's "Terms and Conditions" page clarifies that this is a "conceptual art project and will not be acted out in real life." Different fact-checking organizations have previously debunked similar claims. Therefore, we have marked this claim as false.