Girls ask internet for approval in disturbing online trend

By Mel DeCandia on December 9, 2013

The Internet constantly spawns a slew of bizarre trends, or “memes” as they are often called, but the latest could, perhaps, be the strangest: and most worrisome.

Young girls have taken to YouTube, posting short videos of themselves (generally talking about how they personally feel about their own appearance) under the title “Am I pretty or ugly?” and letting cyberspace decide for them.

YouTube comment sections are notoriously filled with Internet trolls, the scum of the earth who get off by anonymously insulting and demeaning strangers—but these might be the worst yet.

No one seems to spare anyone’s feelings, making some of the most offensive remarks  in the comments, like the ones listed below:

-       “You are ugly, so shut up”

-       “Ugly b*tch”

-       “Hang yourself”

-       “U look like a f*ckin mutant”

And, surprisingly, the most complimentary comments are explicit beyond belief. Among them:

-       “You’re sexy”

-       “You’re gonna be so hot when you’re older”

-       “I would still want to f*ck you hard”

None of which were marked as spam. And keep in mind: the girls posting these videos are sometimes as young as nine, and the oldest are still just 14 years old, according to Buzzfeed.

Emily Binns, University of Michigan sophomore psychology major, said girls over the years have felt the struggle to be pretty, but merely didn’t have such technology as an outlet. “I think at that age the need to feel accepted is the most overwhelming things for girls. When I was in middle school the Internet and YouTube were not as accessible,” she said.

Yet searching the “Am I pretty or ugly” tag on YouTube yields over 500,000 results. And these videos, which have been posted both over a year ago and just earlier this week, continue to rack up tens and hundreds of thousands of views.

“The Internet is a tool, but is also a weapon,” said Northwestern University sophomore English major Alana Basil. “I fear that when people open themselves up like that, then disastrous consequences can happen,” Basil said, mentioning how cyber-bullying has led some adolescents to believe suicide is their only option.

The videos spiked in popularity recently in light of London-based artist Louise Orwin’s criticism the trend.

The 26-year-old responded by posting two-minute videos under the tag as three different stereotypical, teenage alter egos, according to an interview Orwin did with Buzzfeed.

The comments were alarming on both sides of the spectrum, and differed for each of the alter egos: Orwin’s most conventionally pretty ‘Baby’ received the most positive attention. But when Orwin eventually uploaded a video as herself, she received almost no attention, she said: it seemed people weren’t interested in 26-year-old women—just young girls.

Orwin used her experience to inspire her newest art collection, Pretty Ugly; the exhibit was on display in London until Nov. 9.

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