For those who subscribe to Nebula, Lindsay Ellis has a really good video dissecting these body cam channels and who they tend to target, as well as the general message. The main thesis she comes back with is that their interest is in public shaming, especially of people who "ought to know better," which fits in perfectly with this article's thesis as well.
Ever since I noticed this trend taking off on tiktok, it’s always been odd to me. Like the style of the video titles and the way they are framed. I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who thinks this lol
I do think they should blur out the person’s face and personal info if they’re going on YouTube. It’s very humiliating for them and it just damages their future. Sane people want criminals to reform and it’s hard to do that when 11 million people have seen a video of you on your worst day.
I mean, I watch a lot of bodycam footage and initially I thought this article was plausible, as I've had these sort of vids in recommendations here and there. So with respect to this paragraph:
>The most popular uploads are the most salacious and humiliating: “When Suspects Try to FLIRT With Cops” boasts 7.9 million views; “Hooters Waitress Tells Cop ‘I Can Take It All Off’” claims 2.4 million; and “Bodycam: Exotic Dancer Tries to Seduce Cop, Throws ‘Drunk’ Tantrum, and Pees Herself in Squad Car” has been viewed 3.4 million times.
So for my own sanity, I just had a quick browse through a couple of bodycam channels and sorted by Popular. The most popular videos go into 20-30m range, and are often pursuits and shootouts. The ones featuring young females don't even come close. Surprising, as I suspected that woman-hating communities would have pumped the numbers on those.
I do agree that the videos are often humiliating to the subjects, but I don't think I agree with the claim that young women are "targeted" or that these videos are the "most popular". I would definitely say though that there are way too many videos of people simply being drunk and out of control, which is both humiliating and not really interesting to watch.
But videos that feature aggressive yoked guys starting fights with the police, or a senator dressing up in all black to steal from her mother, or some local official trying to intimidate the police with status during a traffic stop... now those are the interesting ones.
Maybe it's just the type of bodycam videos that I watch, but most of mine have men as the focus, rather than women. Once or twice the cops even mentioned in the footage words to the effect of "this is going to end up on youtube".
I do definitely see the conflict, though- someone who may never act like this on the right medication, for example, now has a video up for millions of people to gawk at. However, bodycams have also helped a lot of people get accountability. Truly a conundrum.
Quouar | 17 hours ago
For those who subscribe to Nebula, Lindsay Ellis has a really good video dissecting these body cam channels and who they tend to target, as well as the general message. The main thesis she comes back with is that their interest is in public shaming, especially of people who "ought to know better," which fits in perfectly with this article's thesis as well.
jeromeandim37 | 17 hours ago
Ever since I noticed this trend taking off on tiktok, it’s always been odd to me. Like the style of the video titles and the way they are framed. I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who thinks this lol
iwrotethissong | 21 hours ago
God this makes me feel old. I've never heard of this.
Quouar | 17 hours ago
Archive link :)
Nervous_Insect5976 | 14 hours ago
I used to watch a lot of body cam footage.
I do think they should blur out the person’s face and personal info if they’re going on YouTube. It’s very humiliating for them and it just damages their future. Sane people want criminals to reform and it’s hard to do that when 11 million people have seen a video of you on your worst day.
TheDaveStrider | 9 hours ago
there are a lot of similar subreddits like this too
Sheriour1 | 11 hours ago
I mean, I watch a lot of bodycam footage and initially I thought this article was plausible, as I've had these sort of vids in recommendations here and there. So with respect to this paragraph:
>The most popular uploads are the most salacious and humiliating: “When Suspects Try to FLIRT With Cops” boasts 7.9 million views; “Hooters Waitress Tells Cop ‘I Can Take It All Off’” claims 2.4 million; and “Bodycam: Exotic Dancer Tries to Seduce Cop, Throws ‘Drunk’ Tantrum, and Pees Herself in Squad Car” has been viewed 3.4 million times.
So for my own sanity, I just had a quick browse through a couple of bodycam channels and sorted by Popular. The most popular videos go into 20-30m range, and are often pursuits and shootouts. The ones featuring young females don't even come close. Surprising, as I suspected that woman-hating communities would have pumped the numbers on those.
I do agree that the videos are often humiliating to the subjects, but I don't think I agree with the claim that young women are "targeted" or that these videos are the "most popular". I would definitely say though that there are way too many videos of people simply being drunk and out of control, which is both humiliating and not really interesting to watch.
But videos that feature aggressive yoked guys starting fights with the police, or a senator dressing up in all black to steal from her mother, or some local official trying to intimidate the police with status during a traffic stop... now those are the interesting ones.
JoleneDollyParton | 8 hours ago
Mostly the ones I’ve had popped in my algorithm are the really ghoulish ones, parent hiding the death of a child, drunk driving accident, etc.
meri471 | 9 hours ago
Maybe it's just the type of bodycam videos that I watch, but most of mine have men as the focus, rather than women. Once or twice the cops even mentioned in the footage words to the effect of "this is going to end up on youtube".
I do definitely see the conflict, though- someone who may never act like this on the right medication, for example, now has a video up for millions of people to gawk at. However, bodycams have also helped a lot of people get accountability. Truly a conundrum.