In September, TikToker Kelsey Kottle posted a video to her 168,000 followers that relayed a conversation in which a group of bridesmaids gossiped about a recent wedding party they attended. Koturu said the rumors were “tame” at first, but quickly developed. into what she calls “evil” territory. The video has been viewed over 2.5 million times since its release.
In another video, Kelly Yancey filmed and posted a clip of herself eavesdropping on women gossiping about her friend Sarah. People in the comment section took up arms to find their friend who had spoken ill of them. Yancey's original video was viewed 1.2 million times in the week after it was posted.
Eavesdropping on random gossip conversations used to be a completely harmless pastime. But thanks to TikTok, your loose lips may become tighter in public. GossipTok has changed the trajectory of chat, making previously mostly private conversations extremely public, with a new style of video in which TikTokers overhear private conversations and relay what they hear in detail to a global audience. But is it ethical to air someone else's dirty laundry?
For Yancey, posting overheard gossip was a way to get strangers to back him up. She wanted Sarah to hear what her friends were saying about her. “She didn't mean to start drama, but Sarah needed to know how her friend really felt,” Yancey said. teen vogue. “People face many dangers on a daily basis when dealing with people they consider friends but are talking about them behind their backs.”
For Yancey, gossiping in public is a fair act.But what is it? [people will] You should consider before engaging in public gossip. ”
Gossip is often seen as negative, and it can certainly be harmful when it gets back to the person being gossiped about, but it can also be used to convey feelings, vent frustration, More importantly, it can also be a generally harmless way to build a whisper network. About potentially dangerous situations and people. But social media has opened up new ground where people can share overheard details far and wide. We live in an age of digital surveillance, and absolute privacy cannot be guaranteed in public spaces. Still, is it right to share other people's gossip online?
Dr. Anastasia Karkulisha Gabriel, cultural strategist and author of Cultural intelligence for marketers, we believe that several social factors are at play here. “Gossiping makes us feel socially accepted. It makes us feel like we are on the inside while the people being gossiped about are on the margins. ” she says. It's us versus them. ”
The problem with GossipTok videos is the lack of context surrounding them. And sometimes that video is just hurtful or upsetting. Furthermore, Dr. Karkrisha Gabriel points out that they may be creating a “carceral culture,'' as defined by philosopher Michel Foucault.
