Whether we like to admit it or not, social media is a great part of our world today and heavily influences us and our culture. Influencers are a big part of this and lay at the center of many cultural conversations. However, many of them have sparked significant controversy due to the actions and content they promote. Here are 6 of the current most problematic influencers on the internet:
Andrew Tate
A former kickboxer turned social media influencer, Tate has been banned from multiple platforms for promoting misogynistic views and has been described as capable of radicalizing men and boys to commit harm offline. According to an article by The Guardian, he has talked about hitting and choking women, stopping them from going out, and trashing their belongings. He and his brother Tristan have been charged in Romania with rape, human trafficking, and forming an organized crime group to sexually exploit women. They have denied all allegations, but their indictment names seven alleged victims who claimed the brothers recruited their crime group with false promises of marriage and love. In an interview on YouTube, he said he was, “absolutely a misogynist” and claimed that you could not be rooted in reality without being sexist.
Ash Trevino
Ash Trevino, one of the most controversial TikTok moms, is known for disregarding her children and making problematic and inappropriate statements on live streams. Trevino’s content is mainly focused on her messy dating life while her children play background characters for her to ignore, argue with, and gaslight. Viewers often question the relationship between Trevino and her two daughters, as she exposes them to inappropriate jokes she makes to the public, and she has admitted to feeling intense jealousy towards one daughter. She has even stated that when in a relationship with her daughter’s father, she would pull the girl’s hair and, “take out my anger on her.”
Liv Schmidt
Known as the “skinny influencer,” Liv Schmidt was banned from TikTok due to her promotion of disordered eating and unsafe weight loss. A social media bio for Liv Schmidt stated, “It’s not a sin to want to be thin.” Critics have insisted that Schmidt’s videos posed a threat to viewers and consisted of pro-anorexia content, or “pro-ana.” She has built her social media following by posting blueprints on how to maintain a slim figure while working a day job and making content like “What I Eat in a Day” videos. She also shares tips that evoke toxic diet culture, saying, “Half the time you’re not actually hungry, literally just thirsty.” Creators like Schmidt who openly glorify thinness can cause harm to young audiences on such popular platforms, as they encourage eating disorder behaviors and may cause insecurities and toxic societal ideals in young girls’ minds.
Santos
Santos, the 19-year-old boy said to have done inappropriate activities with Ash Trevino, has several serious allegations of assault and rape. He has been accused by a lawyer of not paying child support in Texas. Also, a girl who used to be romantically involved with Santos has exposed him for being a fraud and sexually abusing her and other women. He would tell his victims that it was hopeless to speak out against him because he was involved with the military and that they would have no power over him. However, he was later seen crying on Ash Trevino’s livestream when his true age came out to the media. This is because it was revealed that his Air Force certificate, military ID, and other documents he had been using to manipulate girls, were all fake. All of these factors have caused a surge of hate in the media towards both him and Ash, and it is very possible that he will end up in jail with the truth revealed.
Hannah Hiatt (“Nurse Hannah”)
TikTok influencer known as “Nurse Hannah” is a Mormon mom influencer from Utah. She is the mother of a newborn baby and a 2-year-old son. Her rise to internet fame took a turn when people online began to speculate evidence of abuse in her videos. According to Stephanie Fasano, Mack Muldofsky, and Doc Louallen with ABC News, she has showcased a surplus of dirty diapers lying around her house, which struck suspicion with parents across social media. Additionally, she has deleted a video of her toddler flinching when being handed something at the grocery store.
Isa Escudero
Popular teenage TikToker Isa Escu was exposed for saying the n-word in a video of her and her friends in a car. Isa has over two million followers on TikTok, but many were shocked at this video and found it offensive and unacceptable. She made a video apologizing for the situation, but it was quite underwhelming as she explained reasons why she said it rather than taking real accountability.
Overall, it is quite disappointing seeing more and more influencers constantly exposed for problematic behavior, but it is important to learn from their mistakes and move forward despite the bad things you see on the internet!
