Virtual influencer Lil Miquela criticised for "ignorant" sexual assault vlog
14 December 2019, 15:44
CGI "robot girl" Lil Miquela was criticised for a video where she discussed being inappropriately touched in the back of a rideshare. People called the video "offputting" and "ignorant".
CGI influencer Lil Miquela is being criticised for a vlog in which she discusses being sexually harassed in the back of a rideshare. Miquela is known for her "relatable" cool girl persona, celebrity interviews, pop-tinged music releases, and straight to camera "story time" vlogs.
Miquela was called out this week after a clip of her discussing being touched in a rideshare was viewed nearly 2 million times on Twitter in just two days. Musician Kehlani even weighed in on the controversial clip, calling it "ignorant" and "offensive".
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In the video, Miquela describes a situation where another rider made her feel uncomfortable–touching her, pinching her and asking her sexually charged questions.
I have so many questions... pic.twitter.com/6Jfv7itPFo
— Green Chyna (@CORNYASSBITCH) December 12, 2019
People pondered about the appropriateness of Miquela telling a first-person narrative about a situation that never happened to her (because she's not real) but that has happened to so many others.
"There is something off putting and wrong with having lil miquela telling stories of sexual harassment in the form of a CGI character. victims coming out with their own stories anonymously don’t get taken serious to begin with. what makes an animated character any better," tweeted one person.
The CGI market is just a back door for these companies to profit off situations and cultures by creating a literal fiction character without having to deal with real people. pic.twitter.com/JHR0DJiqhX
— Green Chyna (@CORNYASSBITCH) December 12, 2019
okay but like of all the things you could make up you choose sexual assault.
— um chile anyway, so.. (@ifeelglittery) December 13, 2019
sexual harassment/assault isn’t something to toy with in order to play into your fake fucking life, you aren’t real but this story is, to many, MANY ACTUAL human beings, including me. fuck you @lilmiquela pic.twitter.com/SbiixSPqzZ
— dj ❀ (@goIdendj) December 12, 2019
Musician Kehlani said the video 'played with real stories, real trauma'.
nah. at first it was kinda interesting. maybe. but @lilmiquela you’re playing wit real stories... real trauma.. sexual assault is a scary real reality and at this point you’re ignorantly offensive. what type of sick shit is this. https://t.co/gS4LLVndZV
— Kehlani (@Kehlani) December 12, 2019
Miquela was created by a California based AI startup called Brud and has been hailed as "the future of influencer marketing". Part of her persona includes vlogs where she's talking about her crushes, her career, and the struggles of being a "19-year-old robot girl".
The video appears to have been pulled or at least hidden from Miquela's YouTube channel.
