Comment on When “Ordinary People” on TikTok Turn Out to Be Professional Actors

• jubjub@crazypeople.online ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  To be clear: I have no evidence of who, if anyone, is paying her - if I was to guess, that would be pure speculation. All I can go by is the facts and that is:

  • She says she is “just a content creator” and amateur radio enthusiast. She seldom ever talks about her personal life, but when she does she has never mentioned any acting and script writing career (which is still her current job according to LinkedIn).
  • Her videos are framed as off-the-cuff, but if you actually pay attention to it, the delivery is very controlled and careful phrasing (scripted).
  • I commented to remark on the tone shift, mentioned her strong acting background and asked if her TikTok was a performance or genuine outrage. She didn’t acknowledge the acting in her reply, but asserted her position wishing for the national guard to feel safe on the streets. I didn’t take a screenshot of this as it was a very courteous exchange and I genuinely didn’t expect her to delete it.
  • My comment was deleted after an hour or so which made me more suspicious
  • Another commenter also pointed out the stark pivot in messaging from recent videos, to which I replied that she might want to take a screen shot of the comment for posterity (as I wish I had done!) as comments were being deleted, and I was swiftly blocked.
  • In subsequent videos she hasn’t addressed my findings on her career.

  The bigger issue for me is transparency. If someone is a trained actor presenting as an ‘ordinary hobbyist,’ that shapes how viewers perceive and trust the message. She has a huge influence over the opinions of her audience - they trust her word implicitly, and she knows this because they tell her. This is why media literacy is important - audiences should know if they’re watching a performance.

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  • treadful@lemmy.zip ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

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    Her videos are framed as off-the-cuff, but if you actually pay attention to it, the delivery is very controlled with precise, deliberate phrasing (scripted).

    This describes literally any half successful youtuber.

    Another commenter also pointed out the stark pivot in messaging from recent videos, to which I replied that she might want to take a screen shot of the comment for posterity (as I wish I had done!) as comments were being deleted, and I was swiftly blocked.

    Sounds to me like a creator wasn’t a fan of your obsession with their life off-camera.

    Lots of people seem to be turning fascist for whatever reason. That’ll include content creators. Especially ones that think they can build an audience from exploiting the latest controversy.

    That makes them opportunistic and shitty, sure. But thinking everyone with a shitty opinion is a paid propagandist isn’t healthy thinking.

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    • jubjub@crazypeople.online ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I’m not claiming she’s a paid propagandist - what I can show is public info: she is a professional actor with a career in performance. None of that is disclosed in her TikTok persona/bio, which is framed as an ordinary hobbyist speaking off the cuff.

      You’re right that lots of creators script their delivery. The difference here is the concealment of background. If someone with a long acting career presents as a grassroots voice without disclosing that context, it changes how audiences interpret their message.

      This isn’t about one person’s opinion being ‘shitty.’ It’s about media literacy and the unhealthy parasocial relationships of their audience. Viewers should know who they are trusting, especially when the content escalates into political messaging. Transparency does matter.

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      • treadful@lemmy.zip ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        It’s about media literacy and the unhealthy parasocial relationships of their audience

        Ironic.

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