Part-time job terrorism
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Part-time job terrorism (バイトテロ, baito tero) is a Japanese social phenomenon where part-time employees perform pranks and stunts, usually to share on social media. Stunts include climbing into ice cream freezers, or "planking" on counter-tops at fast-food restaurants. Although such pranks would not be seen as shocking in many cultures, they are considered disgraceful in Japanese culture.
Such incidents emerged as a social phenomenon around the summer of 2013, but has been around in the early 2000s [citation needed] when internet-based Japanese news agencies such as Yukan-news recorded such an incident,[1] with more traditional news agencies later following suit.[2] It was termed baito tero in Japanese,[3] as a portmanteau of the Japanese word baito (meaning "part-time job" and a loan-word from the German arbeit, meaning "work") and English word "terrorism" or "terrorist".[4]
Japanese employers were disturbed by this behavior[citation needed], and penalties and punishment ranged from termination of employment to civil suits. Employees, in some circumstances, can be held financially accountable for loss of business due to the negative publicity [citation needed].[5]
While there is no single reason for the phenomenon, some news reports speculate that the prevalence of social media—particularly video-based mediums such as TikTok and Instagram—have led to an increase in baito tero.[6]
See also
References
- ^ "バイトテロ 記事の見出しに、ネット流行語大賞の予測も - 夕刊アメーバニュース" (in Japanese). yukan-news.ameba.jp. Archived from the original on 2013-10-16. Retrieved 2014-06-01.
- ^ ""バイトテロ"で初の破産…多摩のそば店、負債３３００万円＋（1/3ページ） - MSN産経ニュース" (in Japanese). sankei.jp.msn.com. Archived from the original on 2013-11-29. Retrieved 2014-06-01.
- ^ "Part-Timers 'Terrorize' Employers and pranks - Japan Real Time - WSJ". blogs.wsj.com. 2013-09-18. Retrieved 2014-06-01.
- ^ 産経新聞などの全国紙でも「バイトテロ」の呼称が使われるようになっている""バイトテロ"で初の破産…多摩のそば店、負債3300万円". MSN産経ニュース (in Japanese). 産業経済新聞社. 2013-10-20. Archived from the original on 2013-11-29. Retrieved 2014-01-13.
- ^ "ブロンコビリーがバイト撮影問題を起こした足立梅島店を閉店 バイト店員に損害賠償請求も - MSN産経ニュース" (in Japanese). sankei.jp.msn.com. Archived from the original on 2014-01-17. Retrieved 2014-06-01.
- ^ Michel, Patrick St. (2023-02-02). "'Sushi terrorism' chips away at Japan's harmonious reputation". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 2023-03-15. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
External links
- "「バイトテロ、一生許せない」 あのそば店社長からの手紙：日経ビジネスオンライン". business.nikkeibp.co.jp. Retrieved 2014-06-01.
- "【バイトテロ】犯人、店、親、ネット民…犯罪自慢で「法的責任」どこまで!? 弁護士に聞いた（1/4） - ウレぴあ総研". ure.pia.co.jp. 2013-09-04. Retrieved 2014-06-01.
- "Part-Timers' Prank Videos: Ongoing Business Risk", a March 2, 2019 televised discussion of the topic, an episode of NHK World's Today's Close-Up programme dubbed in English