“Help or Content?” – Nail Kamrali’s video involving a minor sparks public backlash
06/10/2025
A new video posted by blogger Nail Kamrali has caused widespread public backlash on social media. In the footage, Kamrali approaches a young girl begging on the street “to help her,” takes her to a beauty salon for a makeover, and later brings her back to the same area — around Baku’s Targovu district. The entire process was shared on his YouTube channel in the format of a “vlog.”
Ethical questions behind the ‘beautification’
Throughout the video, Kamrali and those involved in the filming repeatedly say phrases like “she’s beautiful now” and “she became prettier.” Social media users criticized this approach, arguing that such content undermines the dignity of minors, turns poverty into an “aesthetic show,” and distances the idea of “helping” from genuine social responsibility.
The so-called “act of helping” has been described as a format that reinforces social inequality and transforms poverty into online entertainment.
Brand representatives join the criticism
Leyla Aliyeva, CEO of the cosmetics store Bantik, also commented on the issue, saying in a video statement:
“Instead of giving her safety, you are putting her in danger.”
Activist Gulnara Mehdiyeva also addressed the situation in a post on her Facebook account, emphasizing that working directly with minors requires a special sense of responsibility:
“As activists, we were always afraid to talk to or work with 16–17-year-old victims — they’re minors, and we didn’t want to act on our own and end up being detained. We’re also not specialized in working with children. We tried to immediately refer such cases to relevant authorities so that trained social workers could take over.
Blogger Nail Kamrali, however, gathered a group of underage girls from the street — one of them said her ID listed her as 13, though she claimed to be 17. He filmed them with their faces visible, without parental consent, and spread the video nationwide. Then he took them to a beauty salon, had their hair dyed, bright red lipstick applied, and sent them back to the street.”
Mehdiyeva added that in the video, the girl speaks about deeply sensitive details from her life:
“How can someone who truly cares about her future post her face publicly? Doesn’t he realize that if she ever tries to rebuild her life or integrate socially, this video will remain a permanent stigma for her?”
She also noted that the girl mentioned having been abducted by a man as a child and forced into drug and alcohol use.
“Nail shared these details publicly and even revealed the place where the girl currently spends time — making it easier for exploiters, pimps, or drug dealers to find her.”
According to Mehdiyeva, the video has been viewed by more than 140,000 people, demonstrating the scale of the irresponsible exposure.
“And on top of that, Nail shamelessly asks the girl about marriage plans. This is a complete violation of ethical boundaries.”
Social media users have pointed out that even if the video was created with good intentions, turning a child’s life circumstances into social media content is unacceptable. Many believe that offering help should not be about views — but about genuine support.
