‘Exploitative': Viral TikTok trend under fire from experts

Perth Now

2 days ago

A woman stumbles out of a dingy public toilet at a park in Perth's northern suburbs.
Visibly shaken, she admits she was in the bathroom with a couple of 'junkies' and had just copped a 'couple of punches'.
Then, a stranger with a microphone pounces.
He is followed by two cameramen who film her as she staggers around in bare feet with torn clothing, messy hair and missing teeth.
The four-minute video — titled 'Traphouse' — attracted almost 1 million views after it was posted to social media platform TikTok last month.
It exposes a helpless young woman at her weakest and most vulnerable.
The shocking video is just one of dozens of controversial interview-style clips posted by Perth comedian and content creator, Jasky Singh, better known as 'Mr Sikkant'. Perth comedian and content creator Jasky Singh - username @MrSikKant - has gone viral for his controversial TikTok videos Unknown Credit: Unknown / TikTok
And he's not alone.
Instagram and TikTok feeds are flooded with thousands of crass videos where content creators ambush the public with Punk'd-style questions for the sake of clicks and clout.
Perth content creator Cynthia Lin — username 'interviews.with.cyn' — has amassed over 1.4 million likes for her street interviews, interrogating locals with questions like, 'what is your favourite Australian beer?' and 'where is the best place to hang out in Perth?'
In one video, Lin speaks with an Indigenous woman — who appears to be under the influence of drugs — with missing teeth and distressed, ragged clothing.
The woman is filmed speaking erratically, while grinding her jaw and clumsily attempting to put on her shoe.
And in another video, Lin is filmed attempting to interview a man who appears to be homeless. Local content creator Cynthia Lin - username @Interviews.With.Cyn - has gone viral for her vox pop-style videos. Unknown Credit: Unknown / TikTok
Aussie DJ duo 'Bread Gang' have also gone viral for their shocking vox pop-style videos, speaking with people at nightclubs and music festivals who are clearly under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
The pair — who are on the hunt for the world's 'loosest' city — almost exclusively film people who are heavily intoxicated, asking party-goers, 'Tell me something your mum doesn't know'.
In one clip one woman says, 'my mum doesn't know that I do drugs and I'm completely wired out of my head'.
Another confesses to sleeping with her mother's step-cousin, while one man admits to 'eating pingers (ecstasy) all day.'
Both Lin and Bread Gang have been contacted for comment. Aussie DJ duo "Bread Gang" have gone viral for their shocking vox pop-style videos, talking to people at nightclubs and music festivals across the globe who are under the influence of drugs and alcohol. breadgangtv_ Credit: breadgangtv_ / TikTok
ESafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said she was aware of 'growing concerns' regarding street interview content that 'appeared to exploit or humiliate' other people.
'Just because something may be technically legal does not mean it is ethical,' she told The West.
'In other words, just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
'Technology and social media are evolving rapidly, making it easier to film and post without consent, often at the expense of those least able to protect themselves.
'Whether as creators or consumers, we all have a responsibility to not dehumanise people or treat moments of distress as entertainment.'
While most of Singh's videos are free, 'extended' and 'uncut' versions are available to fans who pay a monthly subscription fee.
Singh has recently come under fire for his provocative street interviews, which predominantly involve him speaking to people from marginalised communities.
Many of his subjects appear to be under the influence of drugs and or alcohol, homeless or living with a mental health condition.
In another video, titled 'Koondoola King', Singh films Robert, a young First Nations man who admits he hasn't slept in nine days because he's 'been on drugs for days'.
'I had like seven shots last night, that's why I need to f... off home to my woman and smoke two more cones,' he says.
And in a 35 minute-long YouTube video, titled 'Mandurah: The methiest place in Australia', Singh interviews dozens of locals, asking where and how he can buy meth. Comedian and TikToker Jasky Singh is famous for his vox pop-style interviews with people in the WA community Andrew Ritchie Credit: Andrew Ritchie / The West Australian
Singh's videos have sparked fierce debate, with some accusing the 39-year-old creator of exploiting society's most vulnerable.
'You enjoy exploiting the unfortunate for views? Cringe,' a comment on one of the video says.
Others said, 'This one feels weirdly exploitative' and, 'Are you serious? Leave them tf alone.'
But Mr Singh has hit back at suggestions he is reinforcing negative stereotypes, insisting he is casting a spotlight on underprivileged communities. People, he argues, are rarely given a platform in mainstream media.
'It's unfair to say, 'You shouldn't talk to someone who's a battler' . . . (because) sometimes these are people that never get anyone speaking to them,' he told The West Australian.
'These are people that are typically ignored, so we go, 'Hey, this person has an interesting story'.
'Are we not interested to know how they got into that situation? Are we not interested in potentially helping them?
'Not sharing their stories is probably worse, because (you would be) ignoring that side of society.
'People can jump on and say, 'You're exploiting them', but how often do these people even talk to these people? I guarantee you, never.'
Singh added he did not film if he knew the subject was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
'I'm not actively (filming) when I know someone's under the influence or someone is on some sort of drug,' he said.
'Sometimes there is a moment where I go, 'Look, this person may not be in their right senses'.
'But then I ask them, 'What has put you in this situation? What are you doing?''
He also said he received 'everyone's consent'.
'We make sure that they're happy and know where (the video) is going,' he said.
While it is unclear how much Singh makes from his videos, Word of Mouth Agency director Adam Perich said influencers and content creators generally could earn anywhere between $500 and $20,000 per paid partnership post.
'If you're looking at large-scale (influencers and content creators) in America, they can earn up to $300,000 per post,' he said.
'That's obviously a large scale compared to Perth or Australia, where they might be getting $500 up to $20,000.'
Mr Perich said content creators were focused on producing 'valuable, entertaining and educational content'.
'Their main goal is creating quality material that's resonating with audiences ... the content is essentially going to be relatable to people that are in a certain area or location,' he said.
'The biggest thing is probably their personal branding, so if they ever do another venture like own another business ... it will drive brand awareness, because (the audience) has trust in that individual.
'Content creators get paid partnerships, but it's more in exchange (so the brand) can use that content to re-purpose it to sell.'
In Australia, it is legal to film other people in a public place. Comedian and TikToker Jasky Singh is famous for his vox pop-style interviews with people in the WA community Andrew Ritchie Credit: Andrew Ritchie / The West Australian
Singh agreed there was a 'fine line' between comedy and making a mockery out of someone and admitted there had been times where he had overstepped.
'There are times where I've probably put out something where it was at the expense of the person and I felt not OK about it,' he said.
'I said, 'Hey, let's learn from this because (the video) is already out . . . let's try and get better'.
'Unfortunately, comedy is a fine line where sometimes the joke is at the expense of a person, but you can't see that until the video is posted because you were having a laugh at them.'
But Singh denied he was exploiting vulnerable people for the sake of content, saying everyone was 'entitled to their own opinion'.
'Everyone has an opinion, I'm not going to be changing their opinion,' he said.
'Whatever anyone's opinion is, that's entirely their opinion, I guess they're entitled to their own opinion.'
Curtin University internet studies professor Tama Leaver said videos which promoted people under the influence in low socioeconomic communities, 'played into the worst stereotypes'. Professor Tama Leaver at Curtin University. Credit: ABC News: Gian De Poloni / ABC News: Gian De Poloni
'It's hard to see what a video like this achieves other than playing into the worst stereotypes,' he said.
'A lot of people don't seem to be in a sober state of mind, and so the ethics around getting anyone to comment when they're not able to make a rational judgement about what they're saying and what they're committing to by being filmed is iffy.
'I don't think this was an opportunity for people to tell their story . . . it sounds like exploiting people and doubling down on stereotypes.'
Last month, another YouTuber came under fire for 'reinforcing harmful stereotypes' after he uploaded a 27-minute video featuring a homeless Indigenous man in Kalgoorlie titled, 'Drunk in Australia's Roughest Outback Town'.
In the video, British creator Wendall — better known as 'WendallExplores' — speaks to Jeff, who admits he has been an alcoholic since he was 18-years-old. British YouTuber @WendallExplores has been slammed for "reinforcing harmful stereotypes" for his 27-minute-long video on Kalgoorlie. Unknown Credit: Unknown / TikTok
'Sometimes I have a quiet day, sometimes (I'm) too much on the drink,' Jeff says.
'There's nothing much to do around here, the only think is just that (drink).
'I've been sleeping on the streets for two years.'
But City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder Mayor Glenn Wilson condemned the video and said it risked 'reinforcing harmful stereotypes'.
'While we appreciate that Wendall chose to visit Kalgoorlie-Boulder, we do not condone the way footage of our First Nations community was captured and presented,' he told The West.
'Stories involving First Nations people must be approached with cultural sensitivity, respect and in consultation with the community.
'Without this, content like Wendall's risks reinforcing harmful stereotypes and overlooking the complex realities and efforts underway to support vulnerable community community members.
'The issues shown are not unique to Kalgoorlie-Boulder and do not define our First Nations people.'
Academic and First Nations advocate Emma Garlett said it was 'disheartening' to see First Nations people being used to 'generate content for the entertainment of others at their expense'.
'(These types of videos) perpetuates deficit discourse by targeting people who may be vulnerable, not want to be filmed, or who are under the influence of substances,' she told The West.
'Once this content is online is is available to the public.
'(Creators) need to work with Aboriginal people in the ideation and production of content or consult Aboriginal organisations to learn about how to work effectively and meaningfully with Aboriginal people.'
Curtin University media ethicist Dr Glynn Greensmith said there was 'absolutely no way' people under the influence could give informed consent to be recorded.
'By trying to generate shock or extra colour at the expense of vulnerable people, there is a price to be paid for that,' he said.
'There is a reason society frowns upon this type of behaviour.
'We do not exist for your algorithm, for your likes and subscribers.
'It looks like he is using vulnerable people for entertainment. It looks like he is laughing at people, not helping them.'
Professor Leaver pointed out that content creators — unlike journalists — were not bound by a code of ethics.
'If a journalist did this they would have crossed a line . . . and there would be grounds to complain, but content creators are not bound by a code of ethics,' he said.
'If it's getting the views, then people are watching it ... which means there is an audience to be found.
'Even if people consume this and write a comment that says, 'Oh this is terrible', they've still made an effort to watch it and comment.
'It's not as straightforward as saying this is somehow morally reprehensible ... it's a really difficult thing around social media and ethics.'