Do not make minors your content

ARTICLE: ADRIANA DAVID | DECEMBER 13, 2023

PHOTO FROM RAWPIXEL

Recently, TikTok user Nico Meneses uploaded a video of his son playing at a mall’s playing area. In the video, he was seen letting his son taste an ice cream. Shortly after, a four-year-old child approached, attempting to also have a taste. Meneses responded to the child, saying, “Uy, di naman kita anak ah. Gusto mo rin? Pabili ka sa Mama mo.”

The video quickly went viral on social media, gaining over 17 million views. It was already taken down and Meneses has issued an apology in response to what happened. However, the incident had already caused certain controversies that led to discussions about respect, appropriateness, and responsible content-sharing.

In response to Meneses’ action, Adie De Castro, the mother of the child, has expressed her intention to pursue legal action. She considered filing a case that could include charges for mistreating a child and violations of cybercrime regulations.

The uploader may have posted the video because he found it entertaining. However, it is disturbing and, somehow, disgusting when we think of the humiliation, harm, and crossed ethical and legal boundaries inflicted upon the child. One mustn't condone such content, wherein an innocent kid has been harmed for the sake of ‘entertainment’.

In the Philippines, taking pictures of children without parental consent involves considerations of privacy and child protection; thus, the passage of the Data Privacy Act of 2012 aims to protect the right to privacy of individuals, including minors.

Netizens have various reactions upon learning about the mother's actions. Some supported her, while others believed that her response was ‘too much’ just because her son was not given a taste of the ice cream.

The concern, however, goes beyond the child not getting ice cream. It is about Meneses uploading a video of a minor without parental consent, seemingly for attention. The uploader posted the video without blurring the child's face, disregarding the potential negative consequences it could have for the child.

What's more disturbing? Meneses is also a parent. He should have understood how important it was to protect the little ones, yet he failed to do so. It's sickening to think that in the pursuit of posting captivating content, influencers and netizens tend to prioritize gaining attention to the point where they engage in actions that may damage a child's privacy.

Gaining momentary fame is not worth the lasting damage to the dignity of a kid. The child could be bullied and subjected to humiliation for a very long time, and the attention that Meneses received from posting the video was not worth the mockery the child has faced and may continue to face.

Meanwhile, De Castro then explained that the reason she took legal action was that she was scared that her child might grow up, see the uploaded video, and think that there was no action taken.

What she did was the right thing. It's crucial to acknowledge that she acted to protect her child from exploitative individuals who are willing to do anything for attention. It was never acceptable to post anything involving a minor on the internet without parental consent. Thus, this incident serves as a reminder that modern content creators and netizens must think carefully before posting anything because legal charges await them once they fail to do so. Always think before you click.

As these “influencers” rise in prominence, they need to be cautious when posting content and recognize the thin line between appropriateness and going overboard. This incident should serve as a reminder to influencers that, first and foremost, they are human beings before they are content creators—no amount of likes and views is worth the damage that could have been done to somebody.