Life After Being #CANCELED: Crisis Communications for Influencer Scandals
- Angelina Morffi
- 6 days ago
- 4 min read
No makeup. Runny nose. Bloodshot eyes. Sitting on the floor. “It’s time to be real,” the minute-long, monetized video title reads.
Since the dawn of the social media revolution, influencer apologies have served not only as supposed steps toward accountability, but more notably, spectacles of public humiliation. The uncomfortable balance between confession and justification makes for a cringe-worthy watch. From YouTube to TikTok, the platforms might change, but the insincere “sorries” stay the same.
Even after messy scandals and messier apologies, many social media celebrities return to the spotlight in just a matter of months. But their approach to the apology determines everything — because once influencers click “publish,” the internet decides whether to forgive or forget.
1. The Classic Apology Video — but With a Creative Twist
They say that when words fail, music speaks. In 2023, YouTuber Colleen Ballinger’s musicality made for an unforgettable apology, one that certainly could not be conveyed through simple, boring speech — right?
Over two years ago, Ballinger, known for her “Miranda Sings” persona, came under fire for alleged inappropriate interactions with underage fans. Her statement was nothing short of memorable, becoming the most viewed video of her personal channel, “Colleen Vlogs.” She denied the scandal in a snarky 10-minute musical solo, blaming the internet for hopping aboard the “Toxic Gossip Train” and taking the first stop at “Manipulation Station.” Ballinger’s song struck an unpleasant chord with viewers, and while she claimed the suspicions were merely rumors, 190,000 once-loyal fans unsubscribed for good.
Four months of silence later, Ballinger realized it was time to face the music and returned with yet another apology video, casually disguised within one of her usual vlogs. This time, she kept it closer to the textbook speech we all know and loathe.
2. The Morally Questionable Podcast
Who said controversies had to be career-wrecking? In fact, some influencers choose to instead turn a new webpage and shift their careers to focus on the incident the internet canceled them for.
Try Guys dropout Ned Fulmer’s podcast “Rock Bottom” recently set out to give scandal-plagued celebrities a chance to tell their side of the story. Fittingly, the debut episode explored his own fall from grace, featuring his ex-wife, Ariel Fulmer — yes, the one he cheated on.
The uncomfortable 40-minute long video showed Fulmer sitting in self-reproach as his guest detailed the pain of raising their children during the couple’s separation. Despite fans’s promises to boycott his future content, this contentious episode garnered a total of one million views.
The traction it brought may not be worth the reputation that now proceeds Fulmer, his family and his brand. We have enough podcasts in the world. Maybe it’s time to stop boasting about our mistakes and start learning from them.
3. The People Pleaser’s Press Statement
The turn of the decade truly belonged to sisters Charli and Dixie D’Amelio. As these social media stars rose to fame, they began sharing more of their lives every day. Each post increased their exposure, and with it, the potential for even minor mistakes to be magnified.
In 2020, the young influencers filmed a family dinner, inviting makeup guru and YouTuber James Charles to join them for the multi-course meal prepared by personal chef Aaron May. The night seemed lighthearted and comical — until you swiped up to read the comments.
One polarizing moment drew the brunt of attention. When Charli casually mentioned her desire to reach 100 million followers, Charles sarcastically quipped, “Was the 95 not enough?” Fans quickly sided with Charles, even though his tone was clearly playful. With teary eyes, she took to Instagram to address the misunderstanding.
In the same video, Dixie also received backlash for gagging and spitting out the escargot their chef prepared. Fans were not impressed, and many thought her behavior was disrespectful and ungrateful. Eventually, the situation escalated to the point that May stepped in to defend the girls, clarifying it was a harmless prank.
Five years later, the internet has come to see the moment as a product of the “boredom era,” often describing the situation as a “fever dream.” In hindsight, the overreaction says more about that time online than about the girls themselves — who, though faced with excessive criticism, handled it with maturity and understanding.
Keeping up an online image can be difficult. While avoiding controversies and being a good human may be a simple way to avoid cancellation, the internet has shown time and again that every case unfolds differently.
Proactively and carefully addressing the root of the problem is an important hallmark to crisis communications. Creators and influencers owe it to fans to listen and implement action for the betterment of social media welfare. At the end of the day, nothing creates a stronger fanbase — or rather, stronger parasocial relationships — than transparent, thoughtful and honest communication.