Ever heard of hot girl walks? Or hot girl summer? Google has, and it wants online users to know some things about how to be a “hot girl on the internet.”
“Welcome to how to be a hot girl on the internet to avoid a sneaky little thing called misinformation,” content creator Eli Rallo, also known as @thejarr, said in a video sponsored by Google.
The video appears on TikTok’s “For You” page, the platform’s main feed that includes sponsored content, intended to promote something of value by a third party, in this case the search giant. This type of sponsored advertisement typically only appears on the platform’s “For You” page versus the personal pages of the brand or creator.
Rallo has been making TikTok videos for around two years now, but she’s also a writer and host of a podcast. Google’s “hot girl”/misinformation video with her tips has over 30 million views in two weeks.
“These are my rules for being smart and sexy online while also avoiding the spread of misinformation,” Rallo said before listing three tips.
Some of Rallo’s most viewed videos on her own page are her rules lists. She has rules for “the talking stage” of a relationship, rules for the month of September, and rules for a first date—to name a few.
Google clearly thought she could come up with rules on avoiding misinformation. Google’s TikTok page has tons of videos with tips for using the search engine, but this specific video was created in collaboration with Rallo as a targeted ad that has to be labeled as so when it appears on the “For You” Page.
Rallo’s 3 rules for avoiding misinformation and being a hot girl online
Rallo’s first rule: Before you post anything, check your sources on Google using its “About this result” tool by clicking on the three dots beside the search result. That pulls up information about the result’s sourcing.
Her next rule is to run a reverse-image search on Google to “separate the photo from the shop,” basically looking to see if an image is Photoshopped or altered before sharing; it also provides contextual information about the image.
Rallo’s last rule: “Be fun and flirty when you use your voice.”
“The internet and social media gives us a place to open dialogues, create, and share things. That’s fun. But it’s not so fun and flirty to use our voice to spread misinformation. So think before you post,” Rallo said.
Google’s video seems less popular than her typical lists.
“Google telling me to rely on Google for all my information,” one user wrote in the comments with a thumbs-up emoji. Others in the comments section questioned the timing of the sponsored content, chalking it up to upcoming midterm elections, and some said Google was “rampant” with misinformation.
Google did not respond to requests for comment on the sponsored content that appears on the “For You” page. TikTok did not confirm the nature of Google’s involvement in sponsoring the video.
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