Viral Video: Controversial viral video by Instagram influencer Kendrickcurry has taken the internet by storm all for the wrong reasons. In the video, the influencer is seen giving a Dove body deodorant to an Indian boy in a store, with a caption “One day at a time” and a title, “Protecting the youth.
Although presented apparently as a public service act, the hidden message was generally read as racially loaded. The implication that Indian people are unhygienic or smell bad naturally resonated with many viewers, especially from the Indian community. Critics lambasted the creator for making a child the target of a racially insensitive joke to try and get people’s attention and views.
The internet responded with a swirl of outrage and disappointing solidarity. While many criticized the act as outright racism and demanded that the video be taken off the internet, others, most especially those outside India- discounted the objections and even ridiculed Indian users for claiming to be offended.
Something that was presented as a “light-hearted” or “educational” move has triggered an extended conversation about the normalization of social media casual racism. Several users are now asking platforms to take more serious measures against creators who use stereotypes as weapons in disguise of content.
“Influencers need to be held accountable when they cross the line like that. Harassing a kid for clout? That’s not content, that’s cowardice.”
“Wtf is wrong with these people. It just makes me so angry how normalised and acceptable racism against Indians has become.”
“Indians need to stand up for themselves.”
“This is the tip of the iceberg, we are literally hated by right and left, all other countries and religions except one or two lmao”
“I reported the account for ‘bullying/ harassing’ and ‘someone under 18’.”
“These kind of people only understand sh*t when their bread and butter gets affected.”
“Instagram has one of the worst bullying policies and therefore I’m not sure if anything will happen but one can try.”
“That’s horrible wth…and even black people are supporting this racism!! Seriously out of all.. that’s just shameful!!”
“His hate is so much that he took it out on an innocent child man he was so innocent his eyes he didn’t even knew what happened I hope he gets arrested for bullying a child and filming him without consent to gain some likes and comments and make fun of him online he hit a low and should be behind bar”
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