The Internet is Forever: Tiktok

When considering social media and young people's relationship with it, there is one application that is hard to ignore: TikTok. As I sat down to reflect on social media habits, it was clear that the one app that rules most people's world is also a key part of mine. According to my iPhone screen time, I spend about ten hours a week on TikTok, so about an hour and 45 minutes a day. This fact alone was eye opening, but it also means I am well versed in the trends, controversies, and influencers that the app revolves around. 

When we think of privacy concerns on the internet, we tend to think of our own, like what our posts, phone numbers, emails, etc. are going or being used for. But what we often forget to consider is the privacy of those who cannot defend themselves, specifically young children.

What sparked my interest was the story of teenager who quit social media, due to a lack of privacy and control. She was extremely bothered by her family members posting her daily life without her consent. As I read, I was immediately reminded of a recent controversy that has been brought up on TikTok. That being the idea of 'family influencers', or more specifically, 'momfluencers', who gathered their fame largely, or only, from posting their children for the world to see, and frequently.

This problem is not new; for decades young children have been exploited in Hollywood, or the music industry (or both), and in more recent years YouTube. But these issues are often well hidden, or rather ignored, until the children themselves grow up and speak out, like Jennette McCurdy, who wrote an entire novel discussing the horrifying truths of childhood fame that many others experienced.

I have found myself guilty of enjoying these 'momfluencers' and their daily posts about their kid's clothes, conversations, and funny moments. Some parents take it so far as posting their vulnerable moments too, like the tantrums and emotional experiences. It can be difficult to see this concept as an issue from an overview, and the intent of most of the influencers is typically not evil, just oblivious. Because for the most part, the concept is innocent. Most people watch the video, give it a like, maybe leave a kind comment, and carry on. But as the saying goes, one bad apple spoils the bunch. 

Some anonymous accounts have left inappropriate comments on these posts, or made entire accounts essentially worshiping these babies existence. One of the most infamous accounts is @wren.eleanor, a 3-year-old girl whose mother seems to blatantly ignore the outcry of users attempting to put a stop to the girls potential exploitation. TikTok users also began to realize the harm this could cause for these children's futures and started voicing their concerns through post of their own. Much like the childhood actors, these children face various potential consequences as they grow older. This constant posting creates a non-consensual digital footprint that, for many of them, will be nearly impossible to erase due to their millions of followers.

This outcry has led to numerous accounts putting a halt to the posts of their children, removing old ones, and spreading awareness about the dangers of using your children for fame. Maia Knight was one of the most popular of these accounts, with almost nine million followers, to make the change. Some people were enraged about Knight's removal of her daughter's faces, even going so far as to call them "our" babies, but she says the change is for their safety. These angry reactions are small examples of why she had to make that choice, and plenty of followers support her choice.

While this issue is widespread, the consumers of TikTok have used their platforms to spread awareness and make change. So, even in the midst of these major privacy concerns, the power of change is possible and visible through social media.

Deepfakes

A deepfake is defined as 'an image or recording that has been convincingly altered and manipulated to misrepresent as doing or saying something that was not actually done or said'. After reading the Miriam Webster definition, it is almost immediately clear the danger that is present through these deepfakes. This being said, the government has taken know action against them. One of the most interesting things I learned during this presentation is that deepfakes are not illegal. In fact, the only consequences a person who creates or uses one could get is sued for defamation, if the issue is argued properly.

There are many uses for deepfakes, and essentially all of them are bad. The only ones that may not be considered bad, are the ones created for a laugh with no negative motive (and even those can be dangerous). The main problem with this creation is its ability to ruin reputations and ultimately lives. They can be used on celebrities, or politicians, to make them say evil or inappropriate things. Or, through a  deepfake an angry person could put there ex-lovers face on an inappropriate video and spread it online for the world to see.

When deepfakes first came into existence, the technology was not great, so the images or videos were not all the believable. Now, some websites or applications have basically mastered the deepfake, making them look nearly perfect, and much harder to dispute. Because of this improving technology, video and photo evidence in the case of crimes will and has become increasingly less trustworthy. If someone can so easily put my face on someone else's body, how do you know that is me in the video? Deepfake's cause chaos and false realities.

While there are not many ways to protect yourself, keeping your accounts private and limiting what you post and for who, will work towards keeping your face and body your own. And, even though the technology is improving, there are some things you can keep an eye out for. These include unnatural looking faces or bodies, poor lighting, poor audio quality, and weird body movements. It is always important to remember, do not trust everything you see on the internet.