for The New York Times: How Creators Are Facing Hateful Comments Head-On by José A. Alvarado Jr.

News

for The New York Times: How Creators Are Facing Hateful Comments Head-On

josé a. alvarado jr.

Sep 26, 2024

Location: New York, New York

Summary

Ignore vitriol, or turn it into content? Creators like Kacie Rose and Drew Afualo share their tips for dealing with a harsh comments section.

When Taylor Swift released the album “The Tortured Poets Department” in April, Kacie Rose, a creator who typically makes upbeat travel content, posted a video of herself listening to one of the songs.

The 15-second clip, which Ms. Rose posted to Instagram, showed her reaction: surprise and elation. She said she wanted to highlight “a cool part of the song,” and didn’t think much more about it.

But over the next few days, her video received a barrage of hateful comments, which attacked everything from her appearance to her mental health. “Reopen mental institutions,” one commenter wrote. “Worst humans to ever exist,” wrote another, apparently referring to her and Ms. Swift. There were predictions that Ms. Rose would be “alone forever” and even commands that she kill herself.

Photographed for The New York Times, with works by Melina Delkic

How Creators Are Facing Hateful Comments Head-On
Ignore vitriol, or turn it into content? Creators like Kacie Rose and Drew Afualo share their tips for dealing with a harsh comments section.
Nytimes.com

383

José A. Alvarado Jr.

Also by José A. Alvarado Jr. —

for The New York Times: Home Sales in Flood Zones Are Booming. Here’s Why Buyers Take the Risk.

for The Wall Street Journal: The King of Risky Hometown Bonds Is Back

for The Wall Street Journal: The Office Therapist Will See You Now

for DVEIGHT: A Conversation with Ray Turner

for The New York Times: The U.S. Open Is Busier Than Ever. Some Fans Are Not Happy About It.

for The New York Times: The View From the Nosebleeds at the U.S. Open: Not Too Shabby

for STAT: A new drug offers a rare option for brain cancer treatment — and inspires hopes for more

for The New York Times: Elephants Arrive, So Humans Don’t Forget

for Bloomberg: Governor Kathy Hochul

for NYC Tourism: Watching Copa America with Fans at La Roja de Todos

for The New York Times: For Columbia and a Powerful Donor, Months of Talks and Millions at Risk

for Huff Post: How America’s Mental Health Crisis Became This Family’s Worst Nightmare

for The Denver Post: How one Colorado overdose victim fell through the cracks

for Business Insider: I went to a food festival where Latina chefs shared their culinary journeys — and fed my Boricua soul

for Cultured Magazine: Cult 100

for STAT: How a scientific slip-up caused a pregnant woman to get an untested treatment for preterm birth

for The New York Times: Former Rikers Employees Are Charged With Smuggling in Contraband

for Seven Days VT: 'Safe Haven'

for The New York Times: Lawmaker Is Left With ‘Lifetime Trauma’ as Attacker Pleads Guilty

for The New York Times: Health Insurers’ Lucrative, Little-Known Alliance: 5 Takeaways

for The New York Times: Baruch College, an Upward-Mobility Machine

for The New Yorker: The Haunted Juror

for Bloomberg Originals:

for Bloomberg: Guyana Is Trying to Keep Its Oil Blessing From Becoming a Curse