At a recent LGBTQ demonstration in Delhi, a video by Instagram creator Parley who is known for producing rage-bait-style public interaction clips went viral. In the reel, he asked a trans person about the purpose of the rally and why they were wearing a sari. The interaction angered the trans person, who responded by verbally abusing the creator. The trans woman has since spoken out about the viral video, saying it was filmed without her consent and that her privacy was violated.
They stated that they had preserved their privacy for years, but after the reel went viral, their face spread widely across the internet. They also claimed that screenshots of their face were used in artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content.
'Humari Ijazat Ke Bina Video Li Gayi'
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, from the account of Swaksh Tripathi, the trans woman can be heard saying: "It has been two weeks since that video of us was taken without our permission. For two weeks that video has gone viral, and our faces have been splashed across social media. Yet in these two weeks, there is no photo or video of me that I myself have uploaded on the internet."
We worked very hard to protect our privacy. We are quiet people; I prefer to live a peaceful life. We sit and focus on our art and design work, we read, we teach, we play video games, and we live our lives quietly. I do not like noise. We did not upload our video or reel on the internet because we know what happens to trans people what has happened is clearly visible.
'It Is A Crime'
It was a violation of my consent and my privacy. Hundreds, even thousands of people uploaded, downloaded, reshared it, took screenshots, and put my face into AI tools. I have never once uploaded my own photo into any AI. All of this is a breach of my privacy. Legally, it is an offense, it is a crime. When crimes are committed against people like us, we do not get justice. We have no real way to approach the government or the judiciary to seek redress. Even in cybercrime laws, there are provisions for women and children, but none for minorities. That gathering was neither a protest against the Chief Justice of Pakistan nor a pride parade...
They stated that the demonstration was held in opposition to the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act and that only transgender individuals were taking part. They recounted that as the protest was wrapping up, they saw the content creator walking toward them. When he asked what kind of 'azaadi' the protesters were seeking, they felt the question was meant to provoke rather than genuinely inquire. They also mentioned noticing four or five of the creator’s friends standing close by and staring at them.
'Aise Awaara Kutton Ko Kya Kahe?'
I said, "F**k off. What respect can you give to such stray dogs? Perform aarti for them? A woman’s honor, honor, but not ours? Trans people’s bodies are treated like toys, just for everyone’s amusement," they said.
