Bored Panda
33 Reasons Why 2024 Was The Year We Were Done With Influencers
WorldJAN 10, 2025

33 Reasons Why 2024 Was The Year We Were Done With Influencers

20
58
2024 was a great year for many things — but in terms of the content creator world, there seem to have been a few setbacks.
It’s no surprise that many on the Internet aren’t huge fans of influencers. After all, the simple mistake of calling one a “celebrity” can create quite an uproar. 
But it seems this past year, the term “content creator” ruffled more feathers than most, and we have these 33 people, among countless others, to thank for that sour reaction.

#1 Mocking A Disabled Student

Mocking A Disabled Student
A fitness influencer, who goes by @i_am_mighty_fit online, unabashedly made fun of a disabled person for the way he was lifting weights at the gym.

The video racked up millions of views, quickly going viral, but gym “superstar” Joey Swoll came to the defense of the student with special needs. 

“2.7 million likes on a video making fun of a kid with a disability, a very painful disability, for trying to work out? And all for what? Some likes and attention on social media? Seriously?” he asked in disbelief.

“Seeing this go viral was very hurtful to him,” Joey continued. “They got attacked, too. I’ll probably get attacked for making this video. That’s fine. Bring it. But somebody needs to stand up for this kid. ‘i_am_mighty_fit,’ you need to do better. Mind your own business. And anyone who liked and supported this video, shame on you."
Report
206points

#2 The Meaning Of Women-Only Spaces Have Been Thrown Out The Door

The Meaning Of Women-Only Spaces Have Been Thrown Out The Door
Working out as a woman has always been an ongoing topic of conversation — which is why gyms have specifically designed spaces exclusively for women.

But content creators couldn’t care less about these rules.

“Working Out At Womans Only Gym!” was the title of a male influencer’s YouTube video, with nearly 2M views on top of that. 

“Yeah, these type of disrespectful men are the reason Women Only spaces exist in the first place,” read a comment, adding, “They can’t accept the fact there are areas in which they are not welcome, thus have to enter them by force to feel any control.

“It shows their truly pathetic nature.”
134points

#3 A Child Threw A Tantrum At A Café, And The Owner Did What They Thought Was Necessary

A Child Threw A Tantrum At A Café, And The Owner Did What They Thought Was Necessary
After the owner of an Australian café named Adele’s Café on Magnetic Island, Horseshoe Bay, ordered a family to leave their establishment due to a crying baby, a woman named Laura Edwards saw it as her time to shine.

After the family’s two children started throwing a tantrum over a scoop of gelato, the owner Adrian Dalloste said it would be best to ask them to leave, as it was affecting business.

But Laura came to the parents’ defense, saying she hadn’t heard the screaming and that Adrian’s behavior was “disgusting,” additionally asking her audience members to boycott the café. 

Commenters, however, took a different side.

“Good on the business owner, I would have done the exact same thing. He has a duty to make sure everyone has an enjoyable experience,” said one person. 

“I have kids, and when they were little, if they carried on like little brats, I would have packed up and left out of respect for others.”
110points

#4 Temple Run Should Not Be Played In Real Life On Sacred Sites

Temple Run Should Not Be Played In Real Life On Sacred Sites
The wildly popular Temple Run game can be seen with our own eyes by visiting historical sites and temples in Cambodia, and influencers have taken advantage of this rare aesthetic to jump over pathways and mimic the app.

But locals aren’t huge fans of that decision.

Many of these areas are sacred spaces, and some say it’s wrong to do anything that would potentially ruin or destroy sculptures that are close to 900 years old — damage could prove to be irreversible.
103points

#5 The Harmful Effects Of Spreading False Information About Weight

The Harmful Effects Of Spreading False Information About Weight
Weight is a serious health topic, and it seems that TikToker Liv Schmidt had to learn that the hard way.

The 23-year-old’s audience consists mostly of teenage girls on the social media platform, and her content regularly consists of her diet, with one of her series called “What I eat in a day to stay skinny as someone who works a 9 to 5.”

The diet in question consisted of a protein bar, a little nibble of bread, a small bowl of pasta and two bites of ice cream — for a total of 800 calories.

Experts say adult women should eat at least 1,600 calories per day, and TikTok has now banned the content creator for violating community guidelines.
Report
102points

#6 The Gym Is A Place To Work On Personal Growth — Not To Ogle At Others

The Gym Is A Place To Work On Personal Growth — Not To Ogle At Others
The main reason most people go to the gym is to work on themselves… but this influencer thinks it’s all about her.

“As the only woman in the whole weight room, I take pride in knowing that every man here is working 10% harder just because they see me,” she wrote in her caption.

Maybe it’s satire, maybe it’s not, but it certainly irked a few people on social media.

“That’s a legit narcissistic thing to say,” read a comment. “Like, not social media ‘narcissistic,’ but actual psychological disorder narcissism. Lol.”
96points

#7 Making A Scene At The Grocery Store

Making A Scene At The Grocery Store
Grocery stores are not playgrounds… but apparently, some influencers think they are.

One person thought it would be absolutely hilarious to fall back-first on what looked to be various frozen foods while filming the whole thing.

The simple action alone disrupted the employees there as well as all the other customers. Not to mention, the products are most likely ruined now.
89points

#8 An Influencer Was So Focused On Her Livestream Being What Her “Followers” Wanted

An Influencer Was So Focused On Her Livestream Being What Her “Followers” Wanted
A self-proclaimed “fitness blogger” was doing a livestream in a public park when a man sat down on the bench behind her, intending to wait for a phone call.

She confronted him, asking her if he could move spots because she didn’t want him to be featured in the shot. He refused, asking her to move instead, and things escalated from there.

In the nearly 3-minute long video, the content creator made a jab at the person’s age, calling him an “old man,” before saying her “followers” wouldn’t appreciate seeing him in the background.
84points

#9 A Non-Professional Food Critic

A Non-Professional Food Critic
When TikTok influencer Renesha Monaco visited a high-end Greek restaurant in Toronto, Canada called Estiatorio Milos, she certainly did not expect her brief review to receive so much hatred.

Renesha claimed the place “did not live up to the hype,” citing that the lobster pasta made her feel “not so great after,” and that the service took far too long.

But the commenters found her whole opinion to be ridiculous.

“This review makes you sound like a spoiled brat, just because you didn’t like the food, doesn’t mean it’s all terrible,” one person said, adding, “If all the staff are horrible, chances are YOU are the problem!”
83points

#10 “Victim Complex” As Labeled By Netizens

“Victim Complex” As Labeled By Netizens
Samyra, a plus-sized Instagram and TikTok influencer, has always been a proud advocate of inclusive clothing, but some people on the Internet aren’t too happy with her strategies of doing so.

After not finding her exact size, she blamed Target for how it “center[ed] on thin” people — something quite common in all of her videos.

And instead of the sympathetic comments one might expect, many were adamant that she look at herself before pointing fingers at anyone else.

“Very few people are built like you,” a user stated. “Market moves corporations, not your feelings.”

Another agreed, “I have a better idea. Get healthy.”
Report
79points

#11 A Food Influencer Claimed A Restaurant Was “Rude” When They Were Dealing With An Emergency

A Food Influencer Claimed A Restaurant Was “Rude” When They Were Dealing With An Emergency
A so-called food blogger reached out to a restaurant, asking if they collaborate with influencers. After a person from their team very politely declined the request due to a medical emergency they were trying to sort out — in addition to thanking them for reaching out — the “influencer” showed their true colors.

“May your business never succeed,” was their reply. “And may you close down.”

On top of that, they left a scathing Google review claiming that the establishment and ownership “suck,” and that the staff were rude, although the screenshots tell quite a different story.
72points

#12 Influencers Aren’t Always Entitled To Free Things

Influencers Aren’t Always Entitled To Free Things
A content creator claiming to be an influencer had a direct request: “Can you make a ring for free? I’m an influencer?” This was sent along with a photo of their page, which was filled with pictures of rings.

After the artist declined, the influencer informed them someone else had taken up the offer and that it was “your loss not mine.”

“Why the hell did you message me then? The sense of entitlement is off the charts,” wrote the ring-maker, to which the content creator asked, “Why use profanity? Okay cry baby.”
64points

#13 Called Out For Driving On A Public Road

Called Out For Driving On A Public Road
Content creators will do anything to get good videos these days.

A driver on a moped was going about his usual day when he passed by a woman skipping along in the middle of the road while her friend filmed.

As he passed her, she turned around and yelled angrily, “You spoiled my video!” 

Was he supposed to stop?
56points

#14 Another Blockage, Thanks To Influencers

Another Blockage, Thanks To Influencers
Blocking a public space seems to be a trend.

“Obnoxious” influencer behavior was spotted at Tipsoo Lake on Highway 410 in Washington State when an entire photoshoot was set up in the middle of the road just to capture the interstate’s gorgeous views.
Report
55points

#15 “Gross Entitlement” Finally Called Out

“Gross Entitlement” Finally Called Out
An anonymous user on Instagram with 36K followers reached out to a Manchester restaurant with the intent of collaborating.

Instead of responding directly, the business took a screenshot of the DM, put it in their story and sarcastically wrote, “Oh, what a surprise! Another thrilling DM from a blue tick superstar asking for a free feast in exchange for an Insta post.

“Because, you know, exposure pays the bills! We’re just thrilled that you appreciate our food, but hey, we appreciate paying customers even more!” 

The influencer’s angered response came shortly afterward: “Personally, I think you’re bang out of order. HOW DARE YOU try and expose us like that???”
 
A rant followed soon after, claiming their promotions were fair and square and that they were “the ones that [were] laughing” because — no matter where they go — it’s all “free.”
54points

#16 A “Rude” But Truthful Response From A Restaurant

A “Rude” But Truthful Response From A Restaurant
Jamieson May, a creator from Melbourne, Australia, with less than 9,000 followers at the time of the incident, had hopes of collaborating with a vegetarian restaurant named Patsy’s.

She sent an invitation to the business owner on Instagram — but was met with a less-than-ideal response.

“You don’t seem to have any followers, maybe you should approach us when you have over 100k,” read the reply, as per Jamieson’s screenshot.

Appalled, the influencer said, “Sorry, but that is extremely rude.” 

But Patsy stood her ground, claiming that while that may be true, “is it rude to question something that is obviously not true?” 

Jamieson took to social media to garner support and post an angry rant, but other users were not on her side. It eventually got to the point where the Melbourne-based creator had to disable her comments section.
53points

#17 A “Beginner” Influencer Is Not An Actual Label, According To This Cookie Business

A “Beginner” Influencer Is Not An Actual Label, According To This Cookie Business
To New York-based Halfsies Cookie Company, “beginner” influencers aren’t a real thing.

When Ana Montealegre, a recent college graduate, messaged them hoping for a few sweet treats for her bridal party boxes, their response was brutal.

“My fiancé and I just got ENGAGED!!” Ana exclaimed. “I’m tying the knot and gearing up to spoil my squad rotten! As I dive into wedding planning, I’d love to include your amazing products in my bridal party boxes. Are you in for some bridal bliss?” 

But it seemed that the company did their research because when they stumbled upon the influencer’s page, they realized she had less than 1,000 followers on TikTok and less than 2,000 on Instagram. 

The owner quickly put her on blast, making fun of her label as a “beginner influencer” by calling himself a “beginner astronaut.”

While some people saw the cookie company’s response as “unprofessional,” others thought the blame was all on Ana. 

“Approaching small businesses for free stuff isn’t it,” someone wrote. “If you can’t afford to get married then adjust your expectations and budget, and don’t expect everyone else to go into debt for YOUR day.”
53points

#18 $259,000 Worth Of Admirers

$259,000 Worth Of Admirers
An Instagram user truly thought 259,000 people would donate money to them to buy a Ferrari.

“Day 1 of posting Ferrari Spider everyday until 259,000 people donate $1 to afford it,” read the video with the caption, “Thank you all!! Help make the impossible possible.”
Report
49points

#19 A Traffic Jam Caused By Content Creators

A Traffic Jam Caused By Content Creators
An entire group of influencers created an entire traffic jam in order to get photos for their Instagram as they posed in the middle of the road, beside various sports cars.

One comment hilariously read, “Always keep bear spray on hand.”
Report
48points

#20 “The Ancient Romans Giving A Thumbs Down”

“The Ancient Romans Giving A Thumbs Down”
In the historic ruins of the iconic Colosseum, tourists were seen taking pictures and filming videos… and an influencer was spotted filming a dance video for her followers. 

The blurry video from a different user had a deadpan caption: “Spot the influencer.” 

“I can just picture the ancient romans giving a thumbs down 👎🏽 and she’d be fed to the lions or sacrificed to the Roman Gods,” read a comment.
47points
20
58