Terms of Used

Single-Channel Video

24min. 14sec.

2021

As surveillance capitalism grow and lead to a conventional prison where everyone stares at each other ---- information and digital pest control became the norm for most, if not all, social media platforms. Despite the dread impacts, the public’s attachment to the platform and their instinct to maintain interpersonal connection leads to the incessant use of social media. In this digital birdcage where escape is improbable, social and self-awareness is the only way out.  

Using Instagram’s Terms of Use as the main text, the artist switched the subject and object in the sentences. As a result, the original platform users became the object being used. The text is thus instead transformed into a “Terms of Used.” Wu then downloaded numerous selfie pictures and videos hashtagged as “selfies” from Instagram. Using artificial intelligence lip-simulation technology that captures the users’ facial features, Wu stimulates several first-person point-of-view speeches that declare how we (the users) are abandoning autonomy of self-identity to the platform through the “Terms of Used.” The work is designed to reflect on users’ positioning in social media’s terms of service and redefine the relationship between the platform provider and its users. The generated images are later re-post on Instagram as irony within the media system. Only by becoming aware of our autonomy and identity of “use” or “being used” can we identify if we’re truly using a free service or becoming the platform’s consumables.