Major conveyor belt sushi restaurants in Japan are taking legal action against customers who have committed disgusting pranks at their eateries after videos of the unhygienic actions went viral online. The trend soon attracted media attention in Japan and around the world, sparking debate and seriously hurting the nation’s international reputation for food hygiene.
Nonetheless, such videos come and go on the Internet all the time. The sushi chain videos are reminiscent of viral videos a few years ago showing people licking ice cream and then putting the packets back in store freezers, prompting many others to do the same.
Short videos on social media platforms such as TikTok have quickly swept the world and caught the attention of young people. Funny videos are the most popular, as they have catapulted many people into Internet stardom and prompted more to follow suit. Some young people think it is okay to play pranks, seemingly unaware of the consequences.
However, certain content has sparked outrage, with critics saying that those involved do not have boundaries and need to be punished for their actions. The like-and-share effect has also meant that some young people have become involved in the moral degradation of society.
Regarding the sushi chain pranks, harsh punishments, such as heavy fines or even jail terms, would be a way to show the world why people should not behave in such a way. Schools could educate students about the legal consequence of making controversial videos, while parents should remind their children of the moral implications of the actions depicted in such videos and how harmful they are to others.
What is worth noticing is the sudden uptick in short videos on social media platforms, be it on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram or Youtube, as this trend has made it easier for minority groups, businesses and young people to post footage and gain wider attention. The problem is that some videos are posted without any foresight regarding what effects they could have on society, especially children, as there is no clear distinction between content for children and adults. Not only is it difficult to stop production of those videos in advance, but imitators can appear quickly.
Like television, newspapers and other types of media, online videos are designed to attract attention and content producers pay attention to indicators such as “likes” and “shares” as proof of their influence. Yet, unlike people working in television, newspapers and other types of publications, who take responsibility for the content they produce in exchange for the due social influence and profit they earn, many social media users do not think of their posts as being on public platforms and are not aware that they should be socially responsible. They forget that when they put anything on the Internet, it is no longer theirs to keep, because social platforms are not private domains.
If there is any lesson to be learned from the sushi chain incident, it would be that nothing on the Internet is as private as people think and hope it is. One must think very carefully before devoting time and energy to video production.
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