It often starts with a single post or a screenshot shared within a niche community. Users begin asking, "Has anyone seen the X17 video?" This utilizes the "curiosity gap"—a psychological tactic where the user is given just enough information to be intrigued, but not enough to be satisfied.

A significant portion of the community warns that such "viral leaks" are often "clickbait" designed to lead users to malicious websites or phishing scams.