Turning People into Content
I read this brilliant piece recently that summed up something I feel deeply: no one should be filmed or photographed and put on the internet without their consent. It’s one thing if I want to film myself. It’s another thing if someone films me — especially if I don’t know I’m being filmed — and turns a moment into a meme.
“How can we be so freaked out when an Instagram ad shows us a pair of shoes we were just talking about, but then turn around and share another person’s private experience?”
Private is relative. Yes, we enter public spaces. But… it feels like a line crossed, even though it’s difficult to pinpoint where the privacy bubble ends. Are my private conversations in public private? At a certain volume, do they become public?
It’s not just the creation. It’s the consumption. If “users on TikTok have completely normalized: turning unsuspecting strangers into content,” then someone is consuming said content. Us. We’re consuming said content.
Things I’m thinking about today.
5 comments
Agreed, especially kids who can’t consent.
Exceptions for police acts of violence and other things that need sunlight to be disinfected, so to speak.
I think we should always err on the side of caution but most people do not.
Hmmm – well, you lose the expectation of privacy once you step outside your door. I’m not sure why people think their image is any more or less important than the other things they share on the internet – anything from political views to restaurant reviews tell someone something about you. I am always amazed at what people are willing to share – giving their phone numbers to every store that asks. Sharing personal buying information for discounts or rebates. Using the GPS on your phone that tells advertisers where you live and where you go. A picture or video on TikTok is less concerning to me than facial recognition software and “security cameras” or Ring doorbells. Privacy is elusive. I strive more for anonymity.
I agree with this: you have no expectation of privacy when you were outside your own home, and to me, having someone film you in public isn’t substantively different than people watching you in person.
We should all be aware that we have no privacy in this context and conduct ourselves accordingly.
Hi there,
I completely agree that we should not be taking pictures or video of unconsenting people and posting it to the internet for all to consume.
Thinking about what nicoleandmaggie wrote above, when are children able to consent to being present on the internet? Do they fully comprehend the consequences of sharing themselves online? In some ways, I love to see blogger and influencers share their family, but will this be looked back upon by the now grown child as an invasion of privacy? I suppose that is why we should be teaching our children critical thinking skills.
Thank you for sharing!