A couple of months ago Facebook finally introduced its content monetisation feature in Pakistan. The aim was to reward creativity, originality and quality content.
Instead, in Chitral, it accidentally launched what scientists are now calling Content Creator Syndrome (CCS), a condition that spreads faster than the common cold and is only treatable by switching off mobile data.
What is amusing and interesting about the current situation is that almost every other individual believes he or she is a content creator. They don’t produce anything that is either informative or original or even creative but rather continue to show the same faces again and again Viz, Niyaz, Gul Akbar, Zubair and a few others as if Chitral has only these people.
And then there are the newly self-declared experts. They simply switch on the front camera, hit record and start lecturing on politics, history, religion, science, economics, culture or social issues even though they know little or nothing about the subject.100% confidence and 0% research.
Another one is the endless slow motion videos with sentimental background music. Five seconds walking, a cup of tea or even opening a gate somehow becomes a cinematic masterpiece for Facebook.
Chitral has many very talented content creators who spend their time, energy and creativity to produce educational, entertaining and meaningful content. They should be recognised and encouraged.
The real problem is that many others seem to think that monetisation is a short cut to earning dollars. Unfortunately there is no magic formula to go viral. It takes originality, consistency and quality, not a smartphone, a front camera and the hope that Facebook is going to magically drop money into your account.