The Bitstrips Abuse on Facebook Must Stop, Beloveds
I LOVE cartoons and my main avatar on these interwebs has been a Yahoo! Avatar for YEARS! It’s even in my site header. But the thing is that I can be represented well by a cartoon because I have cartoonish features. Let’s face it, I look like a walking drawing sometimes because I have really strong features that lend themselves to being caricatured.
This is why I naturally gravitated towards the Bitstrips app months ago when I found it on Facebook. It lets you create yourself in cartoon form and place yourself in all types of random scenarios. You can also include your friends in these scenes and it can make for a GOOD TIME!
I started making cartoons of my thoughts and random things that’d happen in my life but I’d only make one every 3-4 days. I especially like the one I did about me getting put on timeout because it happens ALLATAHM!
I ain’t e’em DID nuffin.
That joint looks just like me, bro! It even has on an ALPHET (outfit, for the newbies) I have in real life: cardigan, cropped pants and oxfords. That’s totally me.
Ennehweighs, it seems that everyone on Facebook just discovered Bitstrips in the past couple of weeks. What happened is consistent with when the masses find out about something: they bum-rush it, overuse it and basically kill it. People are KILLING Bitstrips and I am not pleased!
First of all, folks are outchea posting gazillion cartoons a day. My people, must you run it into the ground so swiftly like the sole of Rick Ross’ chinese slippers? Gahtdamb! Chillax and pace yourselves! You ain’t e’em talmbout nothing. I’ve had to hide so many people from my newsfeeds because every 3 seconds, a new cartoon would pop up from them. You stop! STAHP IT RIGHT THIS MOMENT!
But that’s not even what grinds my gears the most about this new Bitstrips popularity. Nay.
Bitstrips is really an exercise in how folks see themselves and it’s clear that we’re not all looking at the same mirror. And we all need to ask that Wo/Man in the Mirror to change his/her ways or get glasses. If you wanna talk about incongruence in reality and idea of what some think is reality? CHILE… just look at folks cartoon selves.
I’ve been seeing so many cartoons come across my feeds where I’m like “WHO IS THA… oh that’s you. Girl… ok.” O_O I’ve been squinting real hard tryna decipher identities from these cartoons. Folks are calling Bitstrips the new Catfish and made such hilarious comics like:
Props to @Kingboss214
LMAOOOOO! People outchea representing themselves TOO WRONG!!! If you’re built like a marker and your avatar is built like a pencil, you’re lying. And if you are a member of the Itty Bitty Titty Committee and your cartoon is rocking double Ds, you are FIBBING!
Even beyond the body TYPE discrepancy is the color complex that is showing up and showing OUT!
As the Bitstrips abuse continues, I am sad for some of you sisters of mine who got your cartoon version looking like a white woman. There are folks who are the color of milk chocolate in real life but their Bitstrips is the color of white chocolate and they keep hurting my feelings. My SOUL is bothered by some of my Facebook friends right now. I wanna be like “Beloved, who is that white woman? Surely that ain’t you.” Ladies, please embrace that gorgeous brown skin because I’m wondering why your cartoon got the Sammy Sosa bleach treatment.
Bitstrips allows you to customize your app with SOOOO many different features and skin tones and hairstyles and clothes and eye shapes and EVERYTHING! So unlike many cartoon-makers, they give options. People just don’t use them like they should.
You ain’t gotta be light skinned to be FAHN, yall. You better be proud of that Black velvet epidermis that covers you. Come on, family. You’re better than that. Love the skin you’re in so I don’t have to side-eye you every time your cartoon rolls into my sight. That is all. *drops mic*
So have y’all noticed this rampant Bitstrips abuse? Are you guilty of it? Has a close friend pulled you to the side yet? Let’s talk about it.
P.S. I HATE THAT Y’ALL ARE RUINING BITSTRIPS FOR ME! I WAS SUCH A FAN! Ugh!
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65 Comments
I’ve been noticing it for the past week or so but I didn’t know what the app name was until now. Of course, now I’m tempted to go get it and play with it, but if it’s over then maybe nevermind.
Odds are you won’t be able to get into the app. I’ve tried for several days and ALWAYS get a little cartoon saying ‘Please Stand By’ – apparently their servers are overloaded and they’re ‘working on it’. So yes, it’ll be old before we are able to get in to see what the hoopla was about.
I blocked all BitStrips posts from my news feed. I couldn’t take that shit anymore.
How do you block it? This is what I’m begging to know!
You click on the arrow on the right and select “Hide all from Bitstrips.”
Thank God.
Me too!!! I was over it the first day after I saw 20 of them about nothing at all.
I want to post this on my Facebook page, but I’m not about to start any kind of FB fight with anyone right now, so I’m just going to give peace a chance, wait for this fad to play itself out (and we’re on, what, minute #13 for this, right?), and hide the posts from the abusers.
Now the one I want to tell to kindly take a seat, a couple of “woosahs,” and a good day off the interwebs is my one FB friend who keeps adding the photobombing cow to every. Damn. Thing. He. Posts. Dude, it’s not funny anymore. STAHP! Please.
If bruh makes a photobombing cow Bitstrip however, I may need y’all’s help posting bail. Just sayin’….
And Luvvie, your Sexual Chocoate GIF is genius….
The problem is that the fad was played out ages ago. This is an example of people late to the Internet game catching on to something almost a year old because someone famous that they like suddenly likes it.
It was weird, and just like you I want to avoid starting a fight, but…it’s in my head, might as well say it. “Why are there suddenly nothing but black Bitstrip comics? Didn’t we do this already? I specifically remember my cousin calling it corny, and now she’s all over it.”
As what is already known in social media, as much as we’re connected, we’re still in our self-selected bubbles. Well, most of us. Anime and video game (not Madden and Halo) addiction keeps me in a different, deliciously geekish bubble.
I joined about a month ago because I loved my coworker’s cartoons. She was the only person I saw making them. But, I have noticed the sudden proliferation among my friends in the last week or two. I like to think I’m to blame for it, but I know better.
Meh. I say. Whatever. Let the kids play. Life’s too short and times are hard. If a little cartoon making brings ’em joy, or being light-skinned-ed-ed brings some inner peace, do you. They aren’t hurting anybody (I hope). I prefer this over other recent trends that I will not name.
I block the bitstrip app from my timeline. I posted one three weeks ago, and haven’t since. There is a new cartoon popping up every 5 minutes.
““Beloved, who is that white woman? Surely that ain’t you.” Ladies, please embrace that gorgeous brown skin because I’m wondering why your cartoon got the Sammy Sosa bleach treatment.” —–>>Dead, bury me now LMAO
Thank you Luvvie for this post, I’ve been giving my friends the side-eye 0_o like PLEASE STOP!!!! Its getting out of control, getting worst than those obsessed with Candy Crush (which I have yet to play because I refuse to join the cult) lol. This made my afternoon!!! I shall share and post! Folks need an intervention!!!
I’d also like to add: my avatar’s afro and pearl necklace are slamming! I have totally rocked that look on many occasions. I limit myself to a post every few days. It would be easy to abuse. Pro-tip: you can create bitstrips and not post all them on FB. I guess people aren’t doing that so much. ::shrug::
You are the bomb! You better tell it. I haven’t even used Bitstrips because folks are so outrageously out of control with it! I am like lawd! Some of the cartoons are beyond ridiculous.
And yes, you better preach about the beautiful milk chocolate skin! I don’t understand why folks have to change their skin complexion. My Yahoo! avatar is chocolate just like me (although I think I need to update her hair)! We have to have more self love!
UGH! People on my timeline have suddenly been doing this TOO MUCH. Like a month or three ago, they weren’t even here for it. Now all of a sudden, everyone’s barfing rainbows and trying to water the dead plant and getting 10 and 12 likes. And I’m like…where were y’all when I was posting my few a month, with the really cute ones?
Ole trend followin’ people.
I liked BitStrips before it was kewl. Cha. *puts on hipster clothes and glasses*
I played around with bitstrips for a minute about a year ago. Maybe about 3 people on my timeline was into it and I just left it. Now everyone is playing so I dusted mine off and tweaked it a bit. I ain’t shamed, though. Mine got purple locs and a fat body just like me.
I used to love it..so much. A little part of me has died now because of the abuse.
A close friend uses Bitstrips to illustrate her financial problems. What part of that is necessary?
You took the words right off of my FB status! People’s color complexes have me wanting to block/unfriend MANY. I just found out that I can block all posts from BitStrips, praise Zuckerberg! \o/
I honestly just found out what bitstrips was yesterday. Of course I went and created a me, but I doubt I will post one unless the occasion calls for one.
Halleloo!!! I don’t have the app and the main reason is that I thought they only had 3 skin tones white, Mexican, or blurple. I also thought that errybody had to be bony. I was like this ain’t for me cause I can’t customize it enough. I was side eyeing the developers for not being more inclusive of skin and body types. Now I know better. I still ain’t getting the app because it already has me wanting to base jump with no parachute. On another note, I have a few pale faces who consistently make their avi’s look Mexican. One has been called on it and he said that is his tanned color.
I staged a BitStrips intervention on my Facebook timeline using BitStrips.
LOL.
Yea… I’m a fan and I have an avatar and it rocks glasses, a ponytail and a fat belly.. Cause I have zero shame.
I like the cartoons – I think they are funny, but once you start LYING about your skin color and facial features and tits and whatnot, that’s where people fail. And it’s sad.
But I like em.. One or two a week should be fine.. But 4-5 times a day.. I’m blocking you. #noshade #shade
#thisPost
Also you are on timeout for that Rick Ross comment! Made me giggle out loud at work! When will I learn to stay off of your site between the hours of 8 am to 5 pm??
Luvvie – you hit the nail on the head! I have been seeing rampant BitStrips abuse and it must stop! I loved the cartoons you shared in the past and always wondered how you created them, but now that so many have abused the fun app, I am afraid to even try it myself. Thanks for such a well-written and humorous take on this epidemic.
You sound like a hipster. LMAO. I never got into Bitstrips because I didn’t know what they were, so it seems that people are just finding out about it en masse. It will die down.
Facebook…catchin-on n ruining good shyt since 2008.
The color complex is soooo sad. SMDH
i changed my avatar’s color fiftyleven times just to get the RIGHT shade and only ONE roll…cuz that’s ME! meanwhile, back on the ranch, one of my CHOCOLATE marker-sized friends had hers looking like a high-yellow pencil with wet-n-wavy hair! WHAT IN THE BLUE F*** IS THAT ABOUT?!
as a creator of 2 unfunny (to everyone else but me) Bitstrips, i tend 2 keep mine to a minimum. if i’m in one now, it’s a buddy that put me in theirs! i’m funnier in real life, and on the fly, anyway!
Ok first off, so glad this site ain’t blocked at the JOB!! HOLLA!! And secondly YAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS LAWD the bitstrips has been over done… I made 2 cartoons and that was about it
So I loved bitstrips months ago, I am unsure why it blew up with people a few weeks ago. My only issue is for my size they don’t have hippy people. the big girl is all stomach, not pear shaped. Oh well its a fad it came it amused.
Yep, many folks on my fb page have grossly misrepresented their image via bitsrips. Not gonna come down hard on them though as avatars allow us to create a more idealized image (if we so choose)and live out an alter ego. On a number of levels, avatars serve as a great equalizer…one can be whomever they want in cartoon land (gorgeous and yes, thin). I don’t think it is a bad thing (although the lighter skin trend is disturbing). I did notice right away that none of my overweight friends chose the overweight body size. For what its worth, I DID choose the above average size since I am slightly (very slight) above average in terms of body size. I think the avatars are much more interesting (and funny) when they actually resemble folks. I wanted to replicate ME but if people want to get their skinny on in these cartoons, I am ok with that too. Just know that I find them far less interesting. Oh and yes lawd….bout sick of bitstrips now. People done overdid it…my newsfeed is full of em. Ugh.
A friend of mine posted herself on a skateboard today and one of her friends replied “Girl please you know you don’t ride no skateboard.” I’m glad somebody said it lol. It seems like these fad just got huge out of nowhere just the last few weeks and I am SOOO over it.
I only post one of my comics every couple of days, too. But I also took like an hour and a half making my cartoon self, using a smartphone selfie as reference for not just my (ghostly white) skin color and the length of my hair, but the placement of my nose, eyebrows, etc. in comparison to the rest of my facial features. But I’ve noticed the same thing you have – that too many people are unrecognizable as a cartoon. And they post 5 strips in a row. Stop the madness!
Yeah…so…mmm hmmm….It was cool before it became a phone app and er’body and they mama who has a smart phone started using it! Every three or four days…once every two weeks…BOOM! Funny cartoon…but na? PSH! CHILE BOO! I barely wanna do anything with mine….I’ll see a funny one..and won’t share because it’s soooooo overwhelming….goodness!
They done messed up the church’s money.
Can’t have NUFFIN without the copycats ruining the good time. My Bitstrips were giving me life…now…I feel like Semi and Prince Akeem watching the thieves run around with my gold toothbrush.
This entry (and these comments) were so hilarious, I don’t even remember nor where to begin in my response and just like that don’t think I really even need one! Oh my goodness…..I’ll be back. I gotta go get my friends so they can read this too.
Perfect.
H Kai
I jumped onto the Bitstrips bandwagon earlier this week to have something to do during my mundane moments (which, thanks to work, school, and music, are few and far between). I took as long enough time as needed for me to design my avitar because I wanted to meke sure my avi resembled the real me — all the way down to the facial stubble and my dress style. Luvvie, I more than agree with you on this subject, and I’m happy to say that my Facebook family — at least those who are also Bitstrippers — doesn’t spam my news feed with cartoons so heavily, thangawd (cue heavenly choir in E flat major). *steps down off soapbox*
Oops — typo! *…make sure…
hahaaaaaaa I see this on Twitter but I’m proud to say My friends on FB luv themselves cause their Bitstips look exactly like them.
It let’s you know exactly who has insecurities about their looks tho.
I feel ya on this post! haha!
Why is that man’s tittay nipple peeking from around the corner like that? Is there a bitstrip for male boobies?
I swore I was the only one who hated it. I’m so tired of the app and I haven’t even downloaded it.
I don’t mind them because my friends aint shyt and actually write funny captions. But some folk do get out of hand with their avi…it’s supposed to be you, not the you you wish you were. My Bitstrip avi is fat and light brown…about as close as I could get to the way I look in real life.
Black folk really know how to kill something good. They probably killed Jesus too.
LawdAMerci….I’m so lost & have absolutely No clue what a bitstrip is…but this post & the comments surely gave me LIFE!!! *still giggling*
I guess no one on my list is hip to it either b/c I haven’t seen an cartoons in my feed…lol
*whew*…the hilarity of it all!!!
” Love the skin you’re in” co-sign. Good call on the shady behaviour.
Mmmm chocolate.
Didn’t know what Bistrips were until this post (always Miss Tardy to a party). Of course now I’m gonna have to play with it but I will not be annoying anyone as I rarely sign in to my FB.
I quit you for that Rick Ross reference. Literally stopped reading the article right there. I’ma use it sparingly though.
OK. I downloaded Bitstrip just to check it out. Ended up spending a few hours on it. So unproductive. I love it!
I will not post to Facebook..I will not post to Facebook. maybe just this one.
I might need an intervention or at least go back and read this post over.
I’m so with you on this Luvvie!!! I JUST posted on Facebook about this the other day because I just CAN’T! And I WON’T! I refuse to deal with these people who think they’re Beyonce when really…well…let me not throw shade. You AREN’T Beyonce. Go have SEVERAL seats. If you must have a bitstrip then let a friend create your avatar, it’ll probably be more honest. The end.
Love this!!!!! I’ll admit, when I first saw some of the cartoons I didn’t get it and thought it was stupid until I saw a few of my coworkers post relevant situations. Then I got on and made three in a row featuring different friends. It’s so much fun. I noticed right away the discrepancy in how people viewed themselves. I wondered when someone was going to point that out. Funny post!!!!
It finally came back up but now has only half the functionality that it had before. These guys just don’t know what they’re doing. It’s as good as dead now.
I actually liked the app, then people started doing random things with it. So I chose not to make anymore.
You are funny.. Love your writing style.
I have posted 3 since I got the appointment this month. My avi is chunky, chocolate, has my downturned eyes, lil stub nose, big droopy boobs, and black shirt and jeans I wear EVERY DAY. And she is fly.
BOOM! ^5!
i effin’ LOVE this app and i will WEAR IT THE HELL OUT (like all the other FB trends) until they take it away from me … DAAAHMIT MAN! i suggest that folks who don’t like it, NOT use it… LEEEVMEEEALONE… LOL!
\
So I like BitStrips. I don’t use it that often. I actually made my avatar darker than I am I guess. A friend did in fact pull me to the side and told me that the avatar does look like me but it could be a shade or two lighter. Go figure.
I’ve never claimed light skin in my life but dark skin ppl love to put me in that category and will argue me down if I say that I’m. And other light skinned folk will say that I am in fact not light skinned. It’s what ever. I just silently remove myself from all dark skin/light skin conversations. They always seem to come up among black folk.
I totally get the argument but I don’t understand the point.
Wow. Lighten up people.It’s an entertainment app. Entertainment. A.k.a. fun. That’s all. A little fun. Why does what other people are doing rub you the wrong way? Intolerance can be such a waste of energy. The old saying, “dont sweat the small stuff” applies here.And face it people,this counts as small stuff. Really really small
Dude get a grip its not that serious
[…] innocuous, it has no value and is pretty much a time suck that causes you to lose IQ points. Think I’m kidding? Having said that, kids in High School likely look at this junk on their phones constantly. Just […]
Loved this blog. I honestly can’t stand this app. It’s annoying. It still continues on my FB. I have a friend who BS all the time, plus her avatar doesn’t look like her. She made hers lighter and skinnier than her. It bugs me to no end. She’s a tan mexican. .I’m a light skinned mexican but the fakeness is lame.
You know what I hate is people who use it to complain constantly or in inappropriate ways. It’s a cartoon. I’ve seen one person use the graveyard scene on the day of a funeral and the man’s daughter was a friend on Facebook. I would NOT want to see my dad’s death turned into a cartoon. Or the moment her daughter came out of surgery, which they thought could be cancer, and she posts a cartoon of her daughter lying in bed looking half dead. Yuck! Or it’s all complaining. I’d love to know how to block a person on bitstrips. I already stopped following facebook posts but I still get the bitstrips. Any help for that out there without unfriending on facebook? The rest of the family and I are still really close so I have to tread lightly.
I just opened my BitStrip App and discovered it will be killed net week. No more BitStrips after June 11th! SnapChat bought it….but it appears Bitmoji will continue.
I actually enjoyed bitstrips..
you could do much more with the avatar than you can with stupid bitmoji. 🙁 now I can’t customize my avatar.