It Could Happen Here

AI Minstrel Shows feat. Bridget Todd

17 snips
Jul 30, 2025
Bridget Todd, host of There Are No Girls on the Internet and an advocate for AI ethics at the Mozilla Foundation, dives into the troubling intersection of AI and race. She highlights how TikTok creators are reviving minstrel shows through AI-generated content, perpetuating harmful stereotypes. The conversation addresses the political implications of AI, 'outrage farming' tactics, and the ethical repercussions of digital content. Bridget emphasizes the need for accountability in tech as we navigate these complex narratives and their effects on societal perceptions.
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INSIGHT

AI and Minstrel Show Revival

  • AI-generated videos on TikTok are reviving minstrel show tropes with digital blackface in racist skits.
  • These portrayals reaffirm harmful stereotypes about Black people, echoing 19th-century racist entertainment.
ANECDOTE

Viral Racist AI TikTok Examples

  • A viral AI-generated TikTok depicted a stereotyped Black woman as Bigfoot, gaining over 2 million views.
  • Another example attached a solar-powered fan hat to an AI enslaved person, trivializing slavery to sell products.
INSIGHT

Bias and Belief in AI Fakes

  • People accept AI-generated racist videos as real if they confirm their biases despite knowing they are fake.
  • Hyper-reality blurs fake online content with real experience, influencing people's worldviews and politics.
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