A woman who was unknowingly filmed for a TikTok video that was purported to be a “random act of kindness” has said the experience felt patronising and dehumanising.
The video, published by TikTok star Harrison Pawluk, has been viewed more than 57 million times and features the Melbourne woman, Maree, being handed a bunch of flowers while having a coffee in a shopping centre.
Pawluk, who has 3.2 million followers, posted the video with the caption, “I hope this made her day better❤️ #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #viral #wholesome”.
@lifeofharrison I hope this made her day better ❤️ #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #viral #wholesome ♬ original sound – Harrison
Maree, who did not consent to being filmed for the video, told Virginia Trioli on ABC Radio Melbourne that it wasn’t a random act of kindness from her point of view at all. If anything, it was inconvenient to have her time interrupted and then have to carry the flowers home on the tram.
“There’s a lot of these flower TikToks all over the internet,” she told the ABC. “He interrupted my quiet time, filmed and uploaded a video without my consent, turning it into something it wasn’t, and I feel like he is making quite a lot of money through it.”
“This whole idea that this is a random act of kindness is to be challenged.”
Maree said at first she didn’t think much of it, but when an article about the video was published by the Daily Mail, she started to feel a “bit offended”.
“At first it was just a bit of a joke to me and then I felt dehumanised…It doesn’t even seem like it’s me now, it’s just this person,” she said.
“It’s the patronising assumption that women, especially older women, will be thrilled by some random stranger giving them flowers.”