The woman is unconscious, slumped across a park bench with her head lolling backwards. The man behind the camera comes closer. “Are you alive?” He pulls on her earlobe until she wakes. “Wahey, you’re back in the race now!” He starts singing. The woman looks around, disoriented.
She clearly has no idea he’s filming – or that she’s about to go viral. Captioned #hahahahah, #funnyvideo, and #drunkdrunk, a Facebook video of this interaction has been viewed by nearly a million people.
It’s just one example of a troubling new trend playing out on social media. Content creators are increasingly filming vulnerable or homeless people – often using so-called smart glasses with embedded cameras – and posting the footage online for likes and shares.
In this week’s Big Issue, we take a look at why – and what legal protections exist.
Get your copy of this week’s Big Issue magazine from vendors and the Big Issue Shop now
What else is in this week’s Big Issue?
How council cuts are driving homeless people to hospital
As councils close face-to-face homelessness services, homeless people are presenting at hospitals instead. But a new legal challenge against one London council could determine whether local authorities can keep closing services.
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Two-time Big Issue cover star Rick Clement lost his legs and fought back from near-death after being hit by an IED while on service duty in Afghanistan in 2010. When we caught up with him recently he’d been out and about in the Lake District filming for his YouTube channel, Wheels in the Wild. He tells us how he’s trying to provide information and inspiration for other wheelchair users on the accessibility of the UK countryside.
