Rihanna

I normally do not select high profile Global Afro Women who are doing very well in the media, besides my community has a pretty good Idea of who they are. In this instance, it is important. My respect continues to grow for Rihanna. Do not ask me about her latest this or that which is for her generation to address. I’ve seen her in fashion, and a Central Park performance. I have seen snippets of her in photos receiving awards and of course her past public love affair with Chris Brown. Both young, wealthy rising stars. She is a success story. That’s it!

The latest Snapchat app designed to enlist users to decide whether to ‘slap’ Rihanna or ‘punch’ Chris Brown drew a comment from Rihanna putting them on notice. Many people want fame yet this display of what I would call ‘a predatory hustle’ from Snapchat reflected the problem of a public life in pursuit of your craft and love relationships. It also shows how these billion dollar companies draw attention to their platforms. Apparently this was unneeded as on 60 Minutes last evening (March 18, 2018) reported on the upcoming generation of Saudi youths favorite past-time is Snapchat. Going after ‘Domestic Violence’ is the low blow of this new app ad, which the company pulled from the web, though it continues to circulate through other sources. Rihanna’s reaction with her 60 million followers caused the stock to tank 4% or 800 million dollars after saying the ‘app-oligy’ ought to be thrown away. Making it clear to the observer, she did not have many feelings about it, pointing out the many people going through or into domestic violence relationships now. (NPR article)

While some states are grappling with domestic violence as it relates to gun control, this being ‘Women History Month’ and high schoolers walkout due to gun violence, our cute technology companies are sitting in the back rooms apparently OUT OF TOUCH with reality. They had to be and their whole corporate system had to be to fund this kind of gaming for public consumption. This, what I consider a black or white issue, begs the question, are they part of the problem or part of solution. Which is Snapchat?

Article and art by Lillian L. Thompson of Lillianonline.us