The silhouette challenge, first introduced on TikTok, is taking the internet by storm.
Like many things, the challenge was started as a means of empowerment, encouraging body positivity. Again, like many things on the internet, the trend is now reduced to being tasteless means for non-consensual gratification – thanks to misogynistic mindset.
While it is not yet popular in India, the viral challenge was started to encourage women to embrace their bodies – as a blood red filter highlights their silhouette.
WHAT'S THE CHALLENGE ABOUT?
Women, who undertake this challenge, stand in front of the camera fully clothed, before turning off or switching to the filter. They then strike a pose against a door-frame.
As mentioned earlier, the filter highlights the person's body. Many women are undertaking the challenge, wearing just their bra and panties or posing nude – as the red filter only shows their silhouette/creates a shadow of their body.
While TikTok is banned in India, the challenge is being uploaded by several women on Instagram. A search for #silhouettechallenge on Instagram throws more than 60,000 posts (at the time of writing this article).
WHAT'S SO CONTROVERSIAL ABOUT THIS?
After this challenge went viral, several tutorial videos cropped up on YouTube, instructing people how to edit the #silhouettechallenge videos in a way it reduces the effect and shows the actual video. These tutorial videos suggest video editing apps, to uncover the silhouette.
Since many women are using the filter with minimal clothing or posing nude – the ultimate goal is to reveal their bodies.
A simple search on YouTube will throw you dozens of videos on how to reduce the effect of the red filter or completely remove it – all without any consent.
WHAT ARE CONTENT CREATORS SAYING
Many content creators have taken to social media platforms to explain how men have, yet again, turned a challenge into “gross, creepy and non-consenting.”
Another TikTok content creator @lostvsnryshots, who has been widely quoted by multiple media outlets, made a video saying:
“Just make sure you’re being cognizant of what you’re wearing before you actually do all the editing for the final product. Because anyone can easily take those images and revert them back to the original. So, if you’re wearing a bra and panties, or if you’re nude, or whatever you did before you applied the editing to create that shadow look, just know that it’s really easy to just put it back to the original.”
HOW HAVE PLATFORMS RESPONDED
Rolling Stone’s Culture Editor Ej Dickson pointed that this is a huge consent violation and that YouTube should remove these videos immediately. Google, which runs YouTube, has not put out a statement in response to why the videos are still online.
While instructions to reduce the filter’s effect was also shared on Twitter and Reddit, the two platforms have taken some action, reported Buzzfeed. A subreddit for posting edited videos, called r/SilhouetteUnfiltered, has already been banned, while two Twitter accounts that were editing TikToks on request have been suspended.
Whether women are dressed or nude, morphing or sharing anyone’s photo or video without their consent is an act of crime.
(With inputs from Buzzfeed)
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