Self-proclaimed “Bush legends” are becoming increasingly popular on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram.
These short, sharp videos feature Aboriginal men, sometimes painted ocher and sometimes dressed in khaki, introducing various native animals and facts about them. These videos are combined with various yidaki (didgeridoo) songs, including techno mixes.
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Do they know it’s AI?
The user description on the Bush Legend page states that the visuals are AI. But will the average user scrolling through videos on social media click on a profile to read these details?
Some videos have an AI watermark or say they are AI in the caption. However, many in the audience will have no idea that this person is not real and that the entire video is artificially generated.
These videos “take” viewers through a wide variety of creatures, from cute to extremely dangerous. Comments left on the video asked how close the man was to the animals, and included words of encouragement from the animals.
One Facebook commenter wrote: “You have the same great energy as Steve Irwin and your voice is great to hear.”
The voices and energies they are referring to are fabricated.
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lack of respect
Racist comments still exist in Indigenous content (real or AI) on the internet. As Indigenous people, we often say on social media and on Indigenous content, don’t read the comments.
The Bush myth is not real or culturally grounded, but it is not immune to online racism either. I have read comments on his videos that exalt the persona of this AI while denigrating all other indigenous peoples.
This doesn’t affect the author, but it does affect Indigenous people reading the comments.
The only information available about Bush Legend, other than the fact that it is AI, is that its creator is based in Aotearoa, New Zealand. This suggests that the portrait probably has no connection to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities from which it is referenced.
Bush Legend recently addressed some of this criticism in a video.
he said:
I’m not here to represent any culture or group […] If you don’t like this, don’t worry. Please continue scrolling to proceed.
This does not adequately address very real concerns. If the video is “just about animals”, why does the creator insist on using a portrait of an Aboriginal man?
This scenario does not consider accountability to the communities involved.
AI ethics
Generative AI represents a new platform where indigenous cultural and intellectual property (ICIP) rights are violated.
Concerns about AI and Indigenous peoples span many areas, including education and the lack of Indigenous involvement in AI development and governance. Of course, there are also costs to the country that have a huge impact on the environment.
The recently announced National AI Plan offers little in terms of regulation.
Indigenous peoples have long fought to tell our own stories. AI offers another way to reduce or completely eliminate our ability to self-determine. It also serves as a way to distance non-Indigenous people from actual Indigenous peoples by allowing them to participate in fabricated and often more palatable content.
The Bush legend reflects the slippery slope when it comes to AI-generated Indigenous content, as people may become further removed from engaging directly with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
A new era of AI blackface
Thanks to the availability and proliferation of AI, AI Blakface is becoming more readily available.
Non-Indigenous people and organizations can create Indigenous personas through AI. This is often based on stereotypical representations that blend cultures and blend appropriate cultures.
Bush legends are often seen wearing cultural jewelry and having ocher colored skin. When these are produced, they are shallow misappropriations and lack the necessary cultural foundations for these practices.
This forms a new type of appropriation that extends to the violence indigenous peoples already experience in the digital realm, especially on social media. The theft of Indigenous knowledge for generative AI forms a new type of algorithmic settler colonialism and impacts Indigenous self-determination.
Most worryingly, these AI Blakfaces could be monetized and lead to financial gain for their creators. This economic benefit should be returned to the community where the content is provided.
What do you need?
It’s alarming that we live in a time when we don’t know if what we’re consuming online is real or not. Increasing the level of AI and media literacy is essential.
Do you believe AI content shared online is true? Let the people sharing this content know. Conversations with the community are an opportunity to learn together.
Support real Indigenous people who are sharing their knowledge online, like @Indigigrow, @littleredwrites, and @meissa. Or check out all the Indigenous Ranger videos on TikTok.
When engaging online, consider the source. Is this generated by AI? Is this where I should support?
This edited article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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