#TombTok (Tweaked AI Image)
I'm not a huge fan of AI, BUT if I want to post an image generated by it on any given social media platform, I would always tweak the image with personal touches.
I made this work of digital art in response to the Supreme Court's decision to urge China-based ByteDance to cease the availability of downloads of the app TikTok in the USA tomorrow earlier today, Philippines time.
The recent decision sent shockwaves through the digital landscape. This ruling, made in response to concerns about national security, aims to curb the influence of China-based ByteDance, the parent company of the popular app.
It follows a series of investigations and debates over the potential misuse of user data by TikTok. Lawmakers, cybersecurity experts, and even parents have raised alarms about the app's data collection practices, suggesting that sensitive information could be accessed by the Chinese government.
This has fueled a broader discussion about the control and regulation of technology companies, especially those with international ties.
In addition to the immediate halt on downloads, the Supreme Court's ruling mandates that current users will gradually lose access to the app. This phased approach aims to minimize disruption while addressing the underlying security concerns.
The Court has also called for a comprehensive review of other apps with similar data privacy issues, signaling a potential shift in how digital platforms are governed in the future.
In response, I enhanced the AI-generated image of the tomb through GIMP (a free photo editor) via adding two inverted torches with bows apiece anchored by the TikTok logo. I further tweaked the image using an artistic form of faux HDR to give it a mournful depth.
As Victorian funerary symbolism attests, the images of the two TikTok logo-emblazoned inverted torches flanking the tomb's entrance alludes to the users repurposing their content on other platforms as the app becomes unavailable by tomorrow.
I too also will delete the app in solidarity with the Fil-Am influencers who are deeply affected by the ban. May they be successful in other platforms.
Correction: TikTok was actually released in the USA in 2017. But anyway, I listened to the whole of BWV 198 (the 1989 Monteverdi Choir/Eng. Baroque Soloists recording) today in honor of the app's run stateside. Whether you hate countertenors or love them, Michael Chance's account of the alto aria best suits the mood of several influencers' reactions today.
