Scary streaming » Driving while live streaming is idiotic and dangerous Jessica Berget Editor-in-Chief e’ve all heard the things we shouldn't do while operating a vehicle; drinking, smoking marijuana, texting, anything that can be a distraction or hinder your driving ability. However, there is a new one that is painfully obvious, but I think needs to be addressed more recently: Live streaming. Twitch streaming specifically is an increasingly popular phenomenon among the online community. People generally use the service to film themselves as they play video games but also do other things like host talk shows, or just go about their day for their subscribers to watch and comment on. As harmless as it sounds it takes a dangerous turn when taken out of the comfort of one’s own home and into the streets with motor vehicles. Driving is a huge responsibility. You are operating a vehicle that can cause serious injury or even kill people if not operated correctly; this is why I don’t trust people who drive while distracted. They could be great drivers, but one second of not looking at the road can be a lethal mistake. You can't justify putting other people’s lives in danger for the sake of reading comments or streaming for views. Everybody knows the dangers of distracted driving. So, there is no excuse to do it, especially for something so ridiculous as streaming for views. If you are caught streaming and driving, I think you should be banned from all streaming sites and have your license taken away. You have already made it clear you are not to be CC You can't justify putting other people’s lives in danger for the sake of reading comments or streaming for views. Rants 1n your pants » Saying ‘it’s a good thing you're pretty’ is incredibly rude Jessica Berget Editor-in-Chief | be hear this when someone makes a silly mistake or says something that sounds stupid; “It’s a good thing you're pretty!” Or just plainly, “You're so pretty,” accompanied with a dose of heavy sarcasm. Whenever I hear it, without fail I can’t help but think how rude and inappropriate that is to say to someone. Some laugh it off and maybe take it as some sort of back-handed compliment, but I consider it to be a tremendous insult. “Oh well it’s just a joke. It’s not that deep. Why are you writing 500 words about this?” you're probably thinking to yourself as you read this. That’s fair; it is just a joke, maybe | should just forget about it. Except for the fact that it’s not even funny, and it makes people feel bad. I’m no George Carlin or some other big-shot comedian, but I’m pretty sure that’s not how a joke works. Saying such drivel to someone implies that all they are good for is being attractive and that they have no substance or intelligence—that someone’s attractiveness is their most redeemable quality. This is a weird and fucked up thing to say to another human being. Furthermore, isn’t this Illustration by Cara Seccafien trusted behind the wheel or that you can make smart decisions about when is an appropriate time to use streaming services. “But what if I just stream and don’t look at my pho-?” NO! It’s still considered distracted driving as far as the law is concerned. You still are trying to entertain people who will constantly comment and try to chat with you as you drive. Your phone will most likely be in your peripheral vision. You will probably want to make sure you are in-frame or look presentable. That. Is. Distracted. Driving. It is not safe, and you can injure or kill yourself or someone else because of it. I think one of the most dangerous things someone can think is that tragedy wont happen to them. It’s important to remember that no one expects to be in an accident, much less while they’re live streaming, but it still happens. Streamer lameduckg probably didn’t expect to get hit by a truck after missing a red light because he was streaming, but he did. A quick internet search will reveal that there are many other cases of people crashing their cars or almost getting into accidents while they stream and drive. It’s stupid, dangerous, and you could kill other people—all because you wanted to get some views. The potential dangers of distracted driving are well-known and well- documented. Something needs to change or else we may see the very first live streamed death, and I don’t want that. If you are ever watching someone streaming and they are behind the wheel of a car, I would recommend not watching it and calling the police before someone gets hurt. phrase a little outdated? I feel like this is something that was commonly said in the ‘6os or a time where it was okay to be an outright dick to people for no good reason. | can imagine some old business guy in a three-piece suit with a cigarette dangling out of his mouth making fun of his waitress for a simple mistake like forgetting to bring the ketchup, “It’s a good thing youre pretty, toots!” We are so far past that time now as a society, so why are there still some people out there who say this and think it’s okay? You may think this is a phrase that is mostly directed at women, but I’ve heard many men on the receiving end of this annoying phrase as well. I've also heard many women be the ones to say it. In any and every case, it’s rude and inappropriate. If the quote were finished it would probably end with something along the lines of “it’s a good thing youre pretty because you got nothing else going for you.” You may as well just say, “you're hot. Too bad youre as dumb asa stick.” Literally every single person on this earth has said something stupid, asked a question they already knew the answer to, or has had a brainfart about a small piece of information. That doesn’t mean they’re not smart and it definitely doesn’t give youa reason to belittle their intelligence.