Beating Racial Algorithms to Even the Odds of TikTok Fame
She's making money, but at what cost?
Pinkydoll is a wildly popular TikTok star. She has over 1.2 million followers and over 6.7 million likes on the social media app. She became popular for her catchphrases and according to her bio, she is the self-proclaimed “Queen of NPC”—but what exactly does she do?
Gamers know NPC is short for “non-playable character”, and the TikTok version has people acting in the robotic fashion with repetitive movements and phrases while responding to gifts received by viewers that ultimately translate into cash. Pinkydoll’s depiction has made her a sensation in the NPC community, with phrases like “yes yes yes” and “mmmm ice cream so good” being her taglines. She’s even been recognized by celebrities, Timbaland has been known to watch her lives on Tiktok.
Pinkydoll—who is a Black woman—has recently had some controversies in her quick rise to fame, and the latest surrounds the very serious topic of colorism.
The Streamy Awards aims to highlight achievements in the online and viral world. While at this year’s event in late August, people noticed that Pinkydoll’s real-life complexion looked noticeably darker than when she is on her TikTok livestreams.
Some people feel that Pinkydoll is purposely lightening her skin tone on TikTok using filters, playing into biases—both on an individual and an algorithmic level—that favor light-skinned women over dark-skinned women. Many are also saying it is a shady way to become popular and make money while on the app. Pinkydoll definitely makes bank, according to the site Hotnewhiphop, she makes over $7,000 a day.
If Pinkydoll does purposely present herself as a lighter woman for clicks and cash—is this inherently bad? One user also has the same question, “So a brown woman filtered up to make herself lightskin and we’ve universally decided that’s actually not a weird thing to do? Cause it was for money?”
This has been an ongoing debate especially when you involve ethics and capitalism.
Some on social media are giving her props for working around an algorithm that is set up against her, allowing her to get on the level—financially and in notoriety—of non-Black famous Tiktokers. This viewpoint seems to take the “capitalism is hard and we get it how we can” approach. Others aren’t too happy about it, feeling that she is playing into racial hierarchies that unfairly place dark-skinned women at the bottom.
I, however, can see both perspectives. It is hard for people of color, namely Black women, to truly make a good living in the social media world. Seeing a Black woman break through, especially in a world that is so dominated by gamers, is a good thing—but at what potential costs?
Pinkydoll has responded to the controversy—but didn’t confirm the allegations— by saying, “Well, you know, when I go to the sun, I can get a little darker. It’s life, what can I do? And I love to be a Black woman, the f–k do you mean? … I think they’re just hating.”
Regardless of these scandals, Pinkydoll undoubtedly remains very popular. Her ascent is going to give everyone a lot to think about as Black creators continue to thrive, and break through bias, in the world of social media.
(featured image: Getty Images)
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