Why we should all be (a little) #BOOS

Created in 2016, #BOOS is a Dutch YouTube channel by TV-producer BBNVARA, its content presented by Tim Hofman. In each video Hofman supports individuals who are angry (hence the Dutch word 'boos'), frustrated with a personal ongoing issue caused by a public organisation or persona. The unsuccessful attempts of these individuals to privately solve such issues, like non-returned deposits or unjustified fines, result in requesting #BOOS’s assistance. Direct confrontation with the offender, the pressure of negative publicity through a camera and Hofman's persistence consistently results in resolved issues.

Hofman (b1988) is a Dutch programmaker, writer, presenter and poet who started his career on television with producer BNN, appearing in programs such as  Spuiten en Slikken and je zal het maar hebben. These productions shamelessly deliberate real social and cultural issues to normalise talk about drugs, sex and disabilities, clarifying why Hofman does not shy away from conflict and injustice, or creating citizen's initiatives to enable more open political debates about subjects like drugs and the law.

After Hofman's reoccuring opening sentence ''Yes hello and welkom to #BOOS, in which I try to make angry people unangry by using...'' each #BOOS episode commences with Hofman and his sidekick Marije swiftly interviewing the victim to sketch out the backstory of the specific issue they have with an organisation, which will be dealt with during the episode. Then, shielded with juridical justification, they unanouncedly visit the organisation and request to speak to one of their spokespeople or someone with authority.

Hofman continues by presenting the issue to them, demanding to hear their side of the story, an explanation for the existence of the issue, and for the issue to be resolved on the spot. Making the culprits face their acts in this abrupt manner repeatedly results in them researching the issue from their side and consequently giving the victim and the #BOOS presenters what they came for, thus fixing the issue. Surprisingly, overall the episodes maintain an entertaining and light-hearted tone, as the organisations are mocked by Hofman with a certificate that 'praises' them for their wrongdoings and many funny animations, colourful edits, youthful language and confetti cannons are used, which help take the edge off of the serious matters.

So, in what ways does #BOOS interact with our current public sphere in a wider context?

Even though #BOOS handles individuals' issues (after attempts to solve them privately), they are highly relevant to the public. Many other individuals are customers at or interacting with the culprit-organisations and are in all likelihood recognising and dealing with the same issues and frustrations. #BOOS also questions the transparency of information and interaction within organizations by broadcasting private conversations and arguments. Their approach is rather fearless, exemplified by them not backing away from a lawsuit that a culprit set up against them in an attempt to stop #BOOS from publicly uploading the episode, which now has 2.1 million views, in which he punched Hofman a broken jaw and a concussion (season 1, episode 53). Also, as #BOOS is presented on an online public platform it naturally creates a community and sparks intense discussion between individuals.

Even though #BOOS handles individuals' issues (after attempts to solve them privately), it is highly relevant to the public

Several of the specific issues discussed in #BOOS episodes have broader public effects. On the lighter end of the scale would be issues like the 10-year-old who was at a E300 loss because he never received the gameconsole he purchased online, resulting in Hofman revealing a larger group of consumers 'framed' in a similar fashion by the owner of the webshop. The confronted owner thoroughly apologized, refunded each client and shut down his webshop to get his financial situation in order (season 2, episode 51).

Somewhat more intense is the case in which Hofman took 6 'sick' youngsters to the CBR (central office of driving competence), the organisation who is in charge of all things related to driving tests and obtaining driver's licenses. As these specific youngsters have medical disorders, like ADD and asperger, they need to give in a doctor's declaration to the CBR which states they are fully capable and competent to drive and should thus be allowed to do the final driving test to obtain a driver's license. In this case, the specific issue is that they had to make extra costs, between E200 and E300, to receive the doctor's declaration and purchase extra driving lessons, and have been waiting between 19 weeks and over a year to simply receive a response from the CBR. Presenting an unsatisfying outcome, the CBR-spokesperson clarified the long wait as a result of the implementation of a new administrative system and only promises to look at their specific cases, disregarding the cases of all other individuals in a similar situation (season 2, episode 54).

The heavier issues dealt with in #BOOS are consistently relevant to a larger group of individuals. One such issue, concerning a young man who was working as a supermarket-cashier and was paid too low a wage by his employer due to deliberate registration in the wrong pay scale, even made it onto national media. The young man was registered in pay scale A, as are all new cashiers, but was doing tasks that belong to scale B and thus he should have been paid conform the latter scale. Hofman revealed that nearly all supermarkets engaged in similar practices, thus addressing an extensive group of victims,

and sparked an intense inquiry into this systematic malpractice leading to what he called a 'supermarket-war' (season 2, episode 17). Following this revelation FNV Jong (Labour Union for youths) received over 2000 compaints from youngsters experiencing this same issue. The episode further led to the involvement of Dutch MP Gijs van Dijk, which resulted in a debate in the Dutch parliament discussing this specific problem of systematic underpayment of young employees and a call to the government to rapidly solve the issue.

Another politically relevant example is the #BOOS documentary Terug Naar Je Eige Land (2018), in which Hofman followed the children of migrants who were about to be deported or had already been deported from The Netherlands. Using 9-year-old Iraqi Nemr as the main character throughout the campaign surrounding the film, Hofman critically addressed the personal situation of migrant children in The Netherlands by showing how they are affected by the so-called 'Kinderpardon', a law regulating their rights to reside in the country.

Destined to challenge the malfunctions of this law in an attempt to keep the 400 children who have lived in the netherlands for 5 years or longer from being deported, he used the documentary to start a citizen's initiative. The 40 thousand signatures required to make the issue a debate topic in the parliament was easily surpassed. As the episode received attention in national media and was being supported by well-known personas, Hofman collected over 250 thousand signatures. #BOOS demonstrated the power of personal stories in public discussions and political debates on 'the migrant issue', its impact illustrated through the many Dutch nationals who signed the petition in favour of the group of migrant children.

#BOOS is a public voice reminding us we are part of a collective demos which has the power to solve issues, spark discussions and question and challenge authority

Certainly, through their contents and actions, #BOOS is a public voice reminding us we are part of a collective demos which has the power to solve issues, spark discussions and question and challenge authority. They imply that if Tim Hofman, as an individual armed with a camera, is able to represent and resolve important issues through this program, the possibilities of a united and mobilized group of individual citizens are enormous.

Sources:

NOS. (2018). Tim Hofman biedt Kamer handtekeningen voor kinderpardon aan. NOS.

Hofman, T. (2019). CBR HAAT ZIEKE MENSEN EN MARIJE KRIJGT EEN BOETE | #BOOS S02E54. YouTube.

Hofman, T. (2019). SIEM (10) VOOR 300 EURO GENAAID EN SAMET BELOOFT BETERSCHAP | #BOOS SO2E51. YouTube.

Hofman, T. (2018). #BOOS docu: Terug naar je eige land. YouTube.

Hofman, T. (2018). SUPERMARKT BELT POLITIE EN #BOOS REGELT DEBAT IN TWEEDE KAMER | #BOOS S02E17. YouTube.

Hofman, T. (2017). TIM BREEKT ZIJN KAAK EN TON HENDRIKS LIEGT ALLES BIJ ELKAAR | #BOOS AFL. 53. YouTube.

Redactie (2016). #BOOS-studenten krijgen honderden euro's terug van huurbazin. Gelderlander.

Redactie (2017). Rechter: Tim Hofman mag #BOOS-aflevering waarin hij gebroken kaak oploopt online zetten. De Volkskrant.

Redactie (2018). Tim Hofman is boos en zorgt voor Kamervragen. RTl Boulevard.

Smulders, S. (2018). FNV Jong: 'Supermarktmedewerkers check je contract'. Metro.