Filipino Baiting

What makes a thumbnail exciting and clickable to watch? Is it the curiosity of what the video might be or the potential of how entertaining it is? How does a thumbnail affect how a YouTube user clicks the video without having the main context?

If you don't have much idea about Filipino Baiting, it is described as how Filipinos are being used to do content and to get more views on a certain video. Videos, where the main focus is about Filipino and culture, are being used, instead of being shared to get known and understood by other cultures.

Now, what is the problem there? The problem is that these content creators, instead of gaining knowledge and experience with the Filipino culture, tend to use them in such a way that they are the only ones gaining profit.

Since Filipinos are lacking that much recognition internationally, I'm not saying that they haven't had one, but it's not much. From films to artworks, they tend to get behind with everything. The Philippines have so much art to give, from singers to actors to film creators. But somehow, they lack to ability to get noticed since sometimes, international critics don't seem to see the ones in the back. Lucky for some, we have Cannes, so art producers can get the recognition they deserve. The Oscars is a much bigger perspective but it will never be impossible for Filipino makers to make it there.

Going back to lacking recognition, this is one of the reasons why when they see a certain video talking about something that is happening or happened in the Philippines, they click on the video and get excited about it. Now, there's nothing wrong with supporting creators in their passion and dedication to sharing stories. The problem is with their negative intentions towards the culture.

A certain content creator became a talk lately because of a false teaching course online. The creator by the name Nas Daily was in the spotlight after a relative of Whang-Od, a Filipino National Artist known for her talent and passion in the tattoo industry, exposed him by publishing a post where it says that there is no agreement between them and the creator for Nas to open a course about tattoo. And already shared a video of the agreement but Filipinos are looking into a much deeper problem. Since Whang-Od is National Artist, everything that comes with agreements and business, in general, must go to a department or National Artist organization. The woman is not an ordinary person, she is a National Treasure.

Another Filipina opened up about her and her family's experience with the creator, saying that he was rude to them and all he was thinking of is views. Later on, Ms. Universe, Catriona Gray decided to stop her course about being a beauty queen with Nas Academy, in line with the ongoing controversy.

You might also have seen a lot of videos that talk about their reaction to Filipino singers or anything else related. There's nothing wrong with that. However, viewers might have that cringe reaction to some reactors, especially if they see that these creators are faking it.

But how can they fake it? First of all, language is not one of the considered parts of the universal language such as English, and for some other time, Spanish. These languages are popular and can make other foreigners learn and understand them. Tagalog is not that of a talk-about. And some content creators might have a hard time learning them, except if the learner is Spanish since some words are inspired by the language.

One thing that the Filipinos wanted is for the people internationally and locally to understand that if these creators want to have content about the Philippines and its culture, they also must respect them and not use them for for-profit purposes.

Filipinos, in general, are warm-welcoming people and intelligent. So when they see these internationals fake their way up by using them, they get annoyed easily. These will result in a much bigger problem for the content creator involve since they have the power to easily cancel anyone.

What do you think about Filipino Baiting?