'It’s bullying': Regina TikTok account faces backlash for sharing videos of vulnerable people in crisis
'It’s bullying': Regina TikTok account faces backlash for sharing videos of vulnerable people in crisis
Videos posted on TikTok showing people in Regina in the midst of mental health crises show the stigma still attached to addictions, advocates say.
The 11 videos lead to growing concern over the treatment of people experiencing addictions crises and were shared with hashtags like #ExperienceRegina and #seeYQR.
When resident Joey Reynolds found the videos online, he recognized several people he knew.
“It saddened me,” he said. “But at the same time, it frustrated me.”
Reynolds, who spends most of his time downtown, said they were humiliating to watch.
“It’s bullying,” he said. “Online bullying can really harm a person.”
Addictions councillor and advocate Rand Teed works with people experiencing addictions issues. He believes the videos perpetuated the stigma surrounding individuals who are in need of help.
“We discriminate at that level and say, ‘these people aren’t worthy of compassion.’ That’s not what our society is about,” he explained. “There’s attention seeking going on by the people that did that.”
The source of the videos appeared to be security cam footage from a building downtown with both residential and business units.
CTV News learned a tenant not affiliated with any business claimed to be the owner of the TikTok account. They said they have access to the security cam footage in their building for “security reasons.”
Their identity could not be confirmed.
“I’m sorry to the people who were in the videos that weren’t committing crimes,” they said in a statement. “I think it does need to get brought to light that this is a very raw and real look at what’s going on in the city.”
They went on to say the videos were posted in a “humorous manner.”
“I’m sorry to anyone I hurt by posting the videos but hopefully it brings awareness to the crisis people are in downtown and we can start to change for the better,” they said.
The poster said they deactivated the account on Wednesday and removed the videos from the app.
“I understand the damage, embarrassment, and offensive attention the videos caused but it also can’t be ignored,” they said. “I never meant to hurt anyone’s feelings and I have learned that posting them may not be the right thing, so they have been taken down.”
Teed said social media can still be used as a tool for advocates to make real change.
“We have the capacity to help people change that really archaic thinking that these are bad people,” he said. “There are some good social media campaigns that brings attention to this issue and let people know this kind of video is not acceptable.”
Reynolds was relieved to see the videos removed.
“We need to take a positive step forward,” he said. “People deserve to feel safe.”
Canada's special rapporteur on foreign interference David Johnston will be questioned by MPs at committee Tuesday morning, about his role, his report into election meddling, his decision against a public inquiry, and allegations of a conflict of interest.
Prince Harry entered a courtroom witness box Tuesday, swearing to tell the truth in testimony against a tabloid publisher he accuses of phone hacking and other unlawful snooping.
Canada's emergency preparedness minister says images of wildfires burning across the country are some of the most severe ever witnessed in Canada and the current forecast for the next few months indicates the potential for continued higher-than-normal fire activity.
Many Canadian parents are stretching themselves thin — even going as far as to postpone their retirement in some cases — in order to help pay for their children’s education, according to a new survey.
The wall of a major dam in a part of southern Ukraine that Moscow controls collapsed Tuesday, triggering floods, endangering Europe's largest nuclear power plant and threatening drinking water supplies as both sides in the war rushed to evacuate residents and blamed each other for the emergency.
Police in Australia are investigating the suspicious death of a woman who used to live in Surrey, BC, after her body was found in her apartment on the outskirts of Sydney.
Pope Francis briefly went to Rome's main hospital on Tuesday for tests and returned to the Vatican, two months after he was hospitalized with an acute case of bronchitis.
Astrud Gilberto, the Brazilian singer, songwriter and entertainer whose off-hand, English-language cameo on 'The Girl from Ipanema' made her a worldwide voice of bossa nova, has died at age 83.
Canada’s housing market saw the largest improvement in affordability in nearly four years in the first quarter of 2023, according to a report from economists at the National Bank of Canada.
While Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC) publicly mulled moving its downtown emergency shelter to a location on 20th Street near the city's core, city documents reveal the wellness centre's present Fairhaven area location was heavily favoured early in the process.
Canada's emergency preparedness minister says images of wildfires burning across the country are some of the most severe ever witnessed in Canada and the current forecast for the next few months indicates the potential for continued higher-than-normal fire activity.
A Ukrainian woman who now lives in Winnipeg is hoping one day she will be able to bring her husband's remains to her new home, a place he hoped one day he too would be able to call home.
Manitoba Public Insurance is suing the Manitoba government, a Manitoba construction company and an unidentified employee for more than $31,000 saying road work damaged 12 vehicles in 2021.
Calgary-based Cenovus Energy says it has safely restarted a portion of its production that was shut down because of the threat of wildfires in northern and central Alberta.
Canada's emergency preparedness minister says images of wildfires burning across the country are some of the most severe ever witnessed in Canada and the current forecast for the next few months indicates the potential for continued higher-than-normal fire activity.
Edmonton police launched a new tool Monday to encourage reports of "hate incidents," something officers believe will help them track people who may escalate to "hate crimes."
Many Canadian parents are stretching themselves thin — even going as far as to postpone their retirement in some cases — in order to help pay for their children’s education, according to a new survey.
A grieving widow whose husband was run over and killed by a speeding OPP officer can't believe the force told her it won't hold a public hearing into the case because it decided the misconduct was 'not serious.'
Officials are asking people living around Centennial Lake to evacuate their homes as a forest fire burns in the area west of Calabogie, Ont. An evacuation order has been extended to Wednesday afternoon.
Capital Pride will be receiving money from the federal government to cover costs of added security measures at this year's Pride parade and other events.
The provincial wildfire service is warning British Columbians to have a go-bag and make an evacuation plan with this year's wildfire season off to an alarming start.
Real estate experts say B.C.’s housing market is heating back after cooling off due to rising interest rates but the future is uncertain as several economists expect the Bank of Canada to hike rates again.
Police in Australia are investigating the suspicious death of a woman who used to live in Surrey, BC, after her body was found in her apartment on the outskirts of Sydney.
A 53-year-old man was shot and killed in the Montreal suburb of Dorval on Monday afternoon. A source told CTV News that the victim is Francesco Del Balso, who has links to Montreal's Mafia.
The numerous forest fires raging in certain regions of Quebec have led to thousands of evacuations since the weekend and continue to threaten infrastructure on Tuesday. Temporary accommodation centres have been opened in nine municipalities on the Côte-Nord, in Abitibi-Témiscamingue and in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, to accommodate evacuees.
The province is revealing its housing cards, as 37 more municipalities have been identified as the next group that will be required to create housing targets in their communities to help combat the ongoing housing shortfall.
A wildfire that has been burning out of control on Vancouver Island since Sunday morning is now estimated to cover approximately 20 hectares of dense forest near Port Alberni.
Canada's emergency preparedness minister says images of wildfires burning across the country are some of the most severe ever witnessed in Canada and the current forecast for the next few months indicates the potential for continued higher-than-normal fire activity.
A grieving widow whose husband was run over and killed by a speeding OPP officer can't believe the force told her it won't hold a public hearing into the case because it decided the misconduct was 'not serious.'
Canada's emergency preparedness minister says images of wildfires burning across the country are some of the most severe ever witnessed in Canada and the current forecast for the next few months indicates the potential for continued higher-than-normal fire activity.
Officials are asking people living around Centennial Lake to evacuate their homes as a forest fire burns in the area west of Calabogie, Ont. An evacuation order has been extended to Wednesday afternoon.
Flames and smoke could be seen shooting out of a home on Graham Street in Waterloo shortly after midnight on Monday, creating a scene that firefighters say was intense before they arrived.
A report going before regional councillors on Tuesday will recommend beginning the process of environmental remediation at the former Charles Street bus terminal in Kitchener.
