The surge in social media influencer and short-form content popularity over the last decade, driven by platforms like TikTok and Instagram, has fostered a market for creators who specialise in social media incidents, viral events, and personality clashes. The phenomenon of influencers or public figures being “called out” or held accountable by users of social media for their behaviour is not uncommon, with many being “cancelled” for a variety of reasons, such as holding controversial opinions, being associated with other “cancelled” persons, or simply for being unlikeable.
Story times
Story times are framed as entertaining bite-sized videos that divulge shocking or unknown facts about a variety of issues. Most of them are centred around social media personalities, but a rise in story times covering average members of society who happen to be involved in shocking or outlandish incidents can be seen. The narratives might be exaggerated and partly fabricated to heighten impact and audience interest, occasionally encouraging viewers to feel involved by interacting with the subjects’ social media profiles.
The high thresholds for accountability and self-policing within certain communities of social media have sometimes been the direct cause for cases of false accusations, defamation, and subsequent harassment. False accusations on social media, often anonymously posted, damage the reputations of public figures and businesses by exploiting people’s desire for fairness, making it hard to find those responsible or address the lies.
Lack of fact checking
It may be the case that some content creators do not fact-check before publishing story times or other content, or it may simply be that there is no verifiable source for certain pieces of information because it originated from rumours or misinformation. Regardless of the outcome, the spread of misinformation harms those it targets. However, its severity is often underestimated compared to other forms of defamation and harassment, because it is presented as easily digestible entertainment. The rapid and widespread dissemination of such content subjects individuals to intense scrutiny, potentially causing significant reputational harm. Malicious actors exploit the easy access to online information to locate individuals’ workplaces or family members. Their aim is to spread defamatory content and cause tangible, real-world harm.
These situations are actionable claims for defamation. Nevertheless, you might want to report the incidents to the social media platforms first, as they can remove posts, accounts, and ban users. If the harassment continues, seeking legal help is advisable to remove the content and deter future occurrences.
If you need advice or assistance, please contact Nath Solicitors on 0203 983 8278 or get in touch with the firm online.