Clock

I don't even know how it happened. I really cannot tell you how it happened. All I know is that one day, I got bored out of my mind. I opened this beautiful app called clock. Videos on there were funny, but I don't have a single funny bone in my body. And I mean that quite literally because I don't have a sense of humor. So, when I say I don't know how it happened, I genuinely mean I don't know how it happened.

 I feel as if a lot of teens open this app, and we're all racking their brains to find something funny. On this app anyone is able to post 30 second videos that can have content that ranges from lip-syncing, to dancing, too funny content, to advise, anything and everything is accepted on this app. Of course, with the exception of some content, anyone and everyone has the ability to become famous on this app. At first, this app was taken as a joke. Everyone looked at this app, and thought it was for little kids, and took it as a joke. When I say everyone, I mean myself as well. But with this coronavirus going around, and with this lockdown in place. My whole mindset on this app changed. I found out the actual things that can help me within this app, and it is very entertaining. I found myself spending most of my time on this app. Because of how short the videos are on this app, I genuinely lost my patience for YouTube videos that can last more than 5 minutes.

I'm going to be honest here, I don't see myself as the prettiest girl. I'm not Super Saiyan, I'm not super blond, my face isn't symmetrical, there are just several things about me that I just don't think fit into the category of “pretty”. most of the girls that get famous on here, or exactly just that. The number one star on this app is a thin girl with blonde hair, who has curves in just the right places and knows exactly how to work them. Of course she takes over that aspect of the app that includes dancing and lip-syncing. Which I feel, is the only place where I can strive, considering I'm not a comical person. But one day, I just felt confident enough to take all these dances that I've seen, to take all the songs rhythms, and finally post a video for myself.

 It's quite funny, in order to actually be seen on this app, most of the time, you have to put hashtags in your caption  section. These hashtags could include things such as, #hot girl summer, #bored in the house, #Coronavirus, which happens to be the most trending right now because everyone is on this app due to the Coronavirus. Me, obviously not wanting to be noticed, didn't include any hashtags. I didn't want my dance video to be seen, I didn't want it to be appreciated, I was just bored and wanted to do something with my life other than play Animal Crossing on my switch. 

Unfortunately, the algorithm of the app had a different idea in mind. Even though I posted the video at 2 in the morning, and even though I put no hashtags, and even though I only had 12 followers, the algorithm of the app decided to put my video on everyone's main page. I don't know how it ended up happening, but everybody suddenly started doing my dance. I would open my app, and there they are. The main ticktockers are doing my dance. The dance that I created, at 2 in the morning, with no intentions of anyone actually doing it. I was beyond shocked. I could not even possibly begin to form words that would probably be able to describe my emotions at that time.

 Of course, I took advantage of the situation to try to advertise my family business. While still being shocked, I also felt a little bit excited. I was beyond excited. I created this dance that everybody enjoyed doing and everybody is now posting about. It made me feel good about myself. Sure maybe this is some app for 12 year olds, maybe this app will die off once a coronavirus ends. but as of right now, there are celebrities out there doing my dance. These talk stores are even repeating the dance, they're making several different videos doing my dance.

The thing about getting famous on this app is, the only thing people see is the good things. The only thing people take note of is my follower count going up. The only thing people can see when they press on the comment section, are the comments that have multiple likes, or are liked by me, the creator. What several people don't know are all the negatives that come with being an important influencer on this app. 

I know several people say, “just don't look at the comments” or they say things like, “just block anyone that hates you or hates on you,”. The thing is, it's not that easy. It's not easy to just block anyone that hates on me. It's not easy to just stop myself from looking at the comments. With all these negative comments come positive comments. there can be common stock and hype me up, or give me advice on how to improve my dancing. Yes, when I open my comments to search for these good comments, I see a bunch of bad comments. It hurts my heart every time I see a bad comment. But I can just stop myself from looking at my comments overall when most of these comments are trying to help me.

 Another thing people don't understand Is all the restrictions put on influencers want to actually become famous. Before my video went viral, I was able to post myself wearing whatever I want, saying whatever I want, with whatever caption I want. I was able to express myself freely. Sure, there's all this talk about my rights being protected by the First Amendment, Telling me how I should be able to say what I want and post what I want anyway, but it's just not the same. Now, if I post myself wearing a shirt that's too revealing, or if I post myself saying a bad word, or making bad motions, my video could be taken down. I could be shadowbanned. Because of this one video that I did not mean to go viral, I now have limits on what I can post. Not only are these limits because of the rules of the app, but these limits are also there because of my viewers. Not all of my viewers are of my age now. I can have little fangirls that I don't even know about that are under the age of 12. So yes, I do have rules being more strict on me now, but my self conscious is also more strict on me now because I would never want to be the horrible influence on these little girls.

 So yes, my video went viral. So yes, there are several famous people doing my dance now and making me famous. Yes, I know several people would kill to be in my position. I'm getting paid for each video that is posted and I'm getting recognition from every person doing my dance. but I promise you, that there are two sides to every story. For all those people who would kill to be in my position right now, little do they know that in my position kills. It's hard being an influencer. Yes it's just sitting behind a screen, but regardless of where the words are being said, words can hurt. And even though these restrictions are also just words on a screen, the legal trouble can occur if they are broken. People would kill to be in my position, but my position kills.