Three Filipino vloggers behind Tukomi, a popular YouTube and Facebook channel with 4.21 million subscribers and followers respectively, are facing charges of alarm and scandal for a prank that went wrong. The group staged a kidnapping in Barangay CAA – BF International, with men wearing black bonnets snatching an individual from a street. However, an off-duty police officer, S/Sgt. Ronnie Conmingo of the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group, was at the scene and pulled out his handgun, ordering the group to stop. One of the vloggers eventually approached Conmingo and explained that it was just a prank, leading the police officer to file a complaint against them before the city prosecutor’s office.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has since warned other content creators not to make jokes about crimes and to be careful about the content they put online. The PNP reminded vloggers that they could be held accountable for tumultus and other disturbances of public order, which carries a prison term of six years. If the prank video is uploaded on social media platforms, the penalty is doubled to 12 years for violation of Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
The Tukomi vloggers’ experience serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of staging dangerous pranks for the sake of generating views. The incident highlights the importance of creating responsible content that does not put the public, including the content creators themselves, in harm’s way.
Aspiring content creators should carefully consider the impact their content may have on their audience and the potential risks involved. While pranks can be a popular form of content, they should be approached with caution, ensuring that they are not harmful, offensive, or illegal.
Ultimately, content creators have a responsibility to their audience and to society as a whole. They should consider the message they want to convey, the potential consequences of their actions, and the ethical implications of their content. Creating content that is entertaining and engaging while also being responsible and safe should be the priority of all content creators, whether they are vloggers, influencers, or social media personalities.