When Clicks Silence the Cause: The Hypocrisy of Social Media Discourse on Abuse

Geode Crystal

In an era where social media influencers are seen as tastemakers and truth tellers, it's disturbing to watch so many creators capitalize on the topic of abuse without extending even a sliver of support or recognition to the very people who have dedicated their lives to advocacy and healing. This has become glaringly evident in the recent wave of content surrounding the resurfaced allegations and trial involving Sean “Diddy” Combs, as well as Cassie's brave recounting of her experience.

Instead of engaging with the deeper implications of these stories—systemic patterns of power abuse, manipulation, and the silencing of victims—many creators have reduced them to digestible content bites, laced with performative outrage and clickbait titles. They dissect Cassie's trauma for entertainment, speculate over courtroom drama, and casually sling around terms like "narcissist" and "abuser," all while ignoring the decades of work done by actual abuse survivors and advocates.

Where are the shout-outs to the grassroots organizers? The wellness educators? The therapists, the authors, the speakers, the ones who create safe spaces and long-standing resources for survivors?

Worse still is the trend of creators centering themselves in these stories—making trauma someone else lived through about their commentary brand, their platform, their audience growth. There is a clear difference between raising awareness and harvesting attention.

Social Responsibility Isn’t Optional

The sad irony is that many of these creators gained followings by claiming to be “real” or “conscious,” yet when the opportunity arises to amplify survivor voices or connect their audiences with healing resources, they choose silence. Why? Because integrity doesn’t trend.

Cassie did not have to speak out. She had every reason not to. But she did—and her story shook a cultural icon. The fact that her truth is being monetized without reverence or responsibility is disgusting. It reveals a rot at the center of influencer culture: a desire to be seen as morally upright while doing the bare minimum—or worse, actively exploiting pain.

What Needs to Change

We cannot call ourselves progressive, healing, or justice-oriented if we are unwilling to engage with the ecosystem of care that exists outside the algorithm. Abuse is not just content. It is a crisis. And survivor stories are not plot twists; they are lived realities that deserve more than lip service.

What it means to do better

• Referencing real resources—websites, books, therapy centers, and advocacy networks.

• Collaborating with survivors and experts in abuse recovery, not just other influencers.

• Using platforms to redirect attention to solutions, not just the spectacle.

• Acknowledging privilege and platform power—and using both responsibly.

This is not about gatekeeping who gets to talk about abuse. It’s about demanding that if you do speak on it, you do so with care, education, and accountability.

Because if the only thing you’re amplifying is your own voice, then you’re not advocating—you’re exploiting.