In Defense of Internet Celebrities

They’re not the problem. Uncontrollable fame is.

I’ve been seeing plenty of articles, videos, and news coverage of internet celebrities, and it makes the internet look like a collective of sociopathic narcissists. The hate is certainly more palpable for people who make content online, who seem glued to their phones as if their lives depended on them.

Well, this whole thing is nothing new.

There was a pop-radio philosopher group from the 2000s that once said:

Nothing changes but the faces, the names, and the trends High school never ends

- “High School Never Ends,” Bowling for Soup

Just like in High School, fame has never changed. It is a tale older than the internet, tabloids, and gossip.

Picture a young person influenced by another online personality to go online. They put their best face out there and cross their fingers. Using their skill, talents, and best image possible, they find an audience that likes them. As they grow a following, they try to handle the crowd and keep them coming back to enjoy their content.

The tightrope walk continues until they either fall off or the rope snaps. The audience then moves on to someone else, turning that person into a piece of nostalgia.

This phenomena is nothing new, especially in the age of “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it” celebrity fame.

“Supernova Celebrities” is a term coined for personalities who achieve astronomical amounts of fame way too quickly, then lose it all within, as artist Andy Warhol coined it, their “15 minutes.”

Media personalities of all kinds have had an uphill battle from the moment they gain an audience. But, internet celebrities are far more vulnerable, less informed, and negatively motivated in their path to fortune and fame.

Nowadays, once someone shows their face online, it’s only a matter of time before they grow a fan base that can recognize them in a crowd. At that moment, their world is changed forever.

The hate against Youtubers, Tiktokers, and Streamers can be due to many factors. It could be the older generations sneering at the more entitled, spoiled, and lazier generation, or that we’re witnessing these people’s dirty laundry being aired out in a public space. While Internet personalities do plenty of good, it’s the bad and notorious crimes that get the clicks.

These personalities, whether toxic or not, aren’t bad. The fame machine is.

The Potential Curse of Fast Money

When the internet started paying out for content creators, it opened a floodgate that rivaled Hollywood’s superstardom. Thousands of creators like Pewdiepie, Charli D’Amelio, Mr. Beast, and Pierre XO gamble with the internet, putting themselves out there instead of taking on regular 9–5 work.

When their content goes viral more possibilities open up. They could get book deals, record contracts, and even sponsorships on their channels. Many new creators dove head-first into the digital gold rush, hoping to make that kind of money and purchase everything they dreamed of.

You’ll always see this, from OnlyFans to Twitch to even here on Medium. People will hop on any trend that might make them money, even shilling companies that have shady business practices like Raid: Shadow Legends to make all of their hard work worth it. They push themselves to the limits of their creativity, using algorithms and data to find the perfect content idea and make it happen.

Then, everything turns into an article

The only thing bigger than celebrities is the news they make. Sometimes, people don’t need to make their own content, but rather generate news based on existing names.

It’s the same game as paparazzi or gossip. Certain YouTubers, Tiktokers, and online influencers have reached that status of celebrity. Suddenly, all of their actions are “live” for the public to see. Streamers have the added stress that comes with their every word running through a microscope, with Twitch banning streamers for no discernable reason.

It’s never been quicker for someone’s income stream to burst into flames and leave them with nothing left. Yet they push on, with that single forlorn dread hovering around their minds.

And the crowd goes wild

Unless you’ve worked in PR or journalism, no one knows how to manage a group of people before it turns into a mob.

Some big Internet stars have tried holding back the tidal wave of eyes on their content, whether it’s trying to moderate their audience or rebranding themselves into something more family-friendly. Sometimes it can go even worse, like with a negative windfall for streamers who get troll donations to make fun of them, or people hate-watching certain content creators. When their audience actively hate them yet support them, it becomes a horrible stalemate.

Then the clock ticks towards cancellation

Now, let’s take all of those anxieties, throw them onto inexperienced people who only had a camera and a dream, and make them walk on thin ice. Anything someone says can either give them internet popularity points or completely destroy them.

Say, for example, someone tweeted something stupid ten years ago. That person decided to ignore that tweet, get smarter, and become a popular figure online. It’s inevitable that someone will find someone’s dirty laundry. They might have paid the price for their actions and be sorry for what they did, but in the end, some people don’t care. They need to get paid, to chase the news wherever that may be.

Someone can lose everything on a mistake. Someone could’ve said something bad before, but if they aren’t untouchable, they’re done.

The Double-Edge Sword of Apologies

A genuine apology could bring some fans back, but if it’s just to quell the mob, they won’t stop. They’ll make you beg for forgiveness, like a toxic partner in a relationship. They’ve been reduced to a worn-down, weak, and pathetic side of themselves. They may never get their best image back.

The Only Way to Stay Relevant

From what I’ve seen, the only way to gain any true popularity on the internet is to be unabashedly authentic.

For example, some internet celebrities have diplomatic immunity online. They can do whatever they want, say whatever they want, and they’ll never get canceled because people understand their character and content style.

I tend to watch creators who are consistent in their voice, authentic to who they are, unafraid to try something new, and able to open up to their audience.

Sometimes it’s a wholesome person that succeeds, while others peaked in high school. Try to connect with the former for a better online experience, and maybe you’ll find the courage to put yourself out there, too.

In conclusion

Society has always harbored a grander dream for itself, with people around us hoping to become something bigger. There’s always been an ambition for wealth, fame, and followers, and the internet has lowered the bar for entry. This means more access to haters as much as fans, and people of all kinds try to claw their way to the top.

Some reach it through authenticity while others build an avatar of themselves. Either way, the heights people reach can give a great view but also a terrifying drop back to Earth.

Should you care that much about other people’s fame? No.

Should you defend every single internet personality from the hate? No.

But, should you recognize this behavior to avoid crazy gossip and the endless stream of leeches capitalizing off each other? Absolutely.

Either way, it’s still just like when we were younger, when celebrities were “exposed” left and right, just now on different hardware and at our fingertips.

The fame machine never quits.

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