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Abstract
Poverty porn refers to media representations that exploit the plight of impoverished individuals to elicit an emotional response or financial aid from viewers, often at the cost of the subjects' dignity and agency. While these depictions can drive charitable donations, they frequently reinforce harmful stereotypes and strip subjects of their humanity. This research aims to transform exploitation into empowerment and eliminate dignity gaps in poverty porn content on social media. The theoretical foundations of digital literacy and media ethics are used to bridge the dignity gaps between donors and recipients. The research method employed is qualitative content analysis of poverty porn content from artists Baim Wong and Instagram celebrity Richard Theodore. The findings confirm that poverty porn involves exploiting poverty, commodifying suffering, and objectifying people, often for financial gain and popularity. Addressing poverty porn requires digital literacy and media ethics. For viewers, digital literacy includes critical understanding, social awareness, and positive participation. For content creators, it emphasizes responsibility and ethical practices. For subjects, it involves understanding their rights, protecting privacy, and online empowerment. Digital literacy provides critical guidelines, while media ethics offers reflective guidelines. Media ethics should focus on honesty, responsibility, respect for dignity and privacy, and prioritizing empowerment. This research shows how digital literacy and media ethics can transform the narrative from exploitation to empowerment and respect for human dignity.