When A Viral Storm Isn't About You
How online creators can avoid emotional responses and protect their credibility in politically charged backlash
If you’re a content creator, post online, use social media to market your brand, and have a life outside of that and opinions on anything that is going on in the world today… this is for YOU.
The political situation is tense, and we’re seeing an increased focus on personal opinion (or perceptions thereof) in responses to online videos/online presence.
A viral crisis often doesn’t come from anything you’ve posted but from your offline actions or associations being brought into the public eye by others. This used to be a risk that was limited to public figures, but now, with social media and filming everywhere all the time, it’s all of us. News outlets don’t shape this type of story... the public does on the socials. Anyone can play the journalist on social media. Creators are extremely vulnerable to public scrutiny. And you don’t have to do anything wrong for it to happen.
Just last week, a viral storm around a creator’s potential alignment with one political party spread across TikTok... and you’re all at risk for this regardless of where your opinions lie.
I want to give you one way to help you avoid making an emotional response video that makes such a situation WORSE.
So, imagine you’re in a situation where a group of people (maybe a large group) doesn’t agree with something you’ve said or done. When it’s political at a time when there’s a massive divide, for good reason, if you do something that puts you in the line of sight of the opposite side of a group, in either direction, you’re going to become a target. And that’s going to make YOU feel attacked.
The narrative becomes people’s perception of your personal life and actions. This is perception, not reality, because there’s insufficient information provided to know your reality. But perception wins because social media algorithms thrive on anger and outrage, and these drive high engagement. That perception of you, combined with people’s natural desire to be critical, leads to a storm of content about you. Guilt by association is a common catalyst. You get sudden, intense backlash that rapidly escalates, and you want to rush to defend yourself. But an angry, defensive video will make your situation worse.
When you respond with raw emotion, you come across as attacking critics, failing to show empathy. You use words that escalate the tension, focusing on the facts without first alleviating the audience’s anger, so they can’t focus on what you’re actually saying. All this damages your credibility and makes you seem dismissive and reactive. In a situation where you haven’t actually done anything wrong, it makes you seem like you have.
Managing the Emotion
The first thing to remember is this: There’s a difference between doing something wrong (objectively wrong) and doing something that a group of people doesn’t agree with. Even if it’s a large group. And there’s a difference between doing something that people don’t agree with and being a bad person.
It’s really important to avoid rushing to respond and responding without first replacing your emotion with strategy.
The second is to take a close look at that feeling of being attacked. That feeling brings all the emotion that goes into a really defensive and argumentative response video that fuels the narrative against you, and that’s what you want to avoid. Me saying “take the emotion out of it” alone doesn’t help because there’s no “how” there; saying “be rational” also often doesn’t work because our emotions absolutely do FEEL rational.
So, what can you do to manage that emotion?
Assess the situation and the facts. Find out exactly what people are saying. In a politically motivated viral storm, take a step back and ask if YOU are really being attacked. Is it you and your actions that people are really angry about? Is the criticism from your core audience? Is it mainly people trolling or baiting you?
The answer will likely be “no”. Why?
Because of the political climate, while people might pile on individuals they disagree with, the source of their anger is elsewhere. It’s in the state of the political world, a fear of not being able to do anything about the things that are going on around us. It’s a response aimed at one person that’s really just voicing the overall divide, dissatisfaction, and frustration that’s everywhere in society at the moment.
When you can see the bigger picture and the nuances that go into why people react in anger and spread accusations and assumptions about who you are and what you stand for, it helps you see that these issues are much bigger than you and aren’t really about YOU specifically. It’s then easier to set aside the “I’m being attacked” emotion and recognize that you’re caught up in something with a much broader basis and implication. When you see this big picture, that angry, defensive video doesn’t seem like such a good idea.... and you can save yourself from fueling the fire.
To Respond or Not to Respond
Sometimes, in a situation like this it can be better to say nothing because the core issue that’s being attacked isn’t you, and the viral storm is a symptom of the political climate and the human nature to blame and focus on individuals because it provides people with the feeling that they’ve got some control over a wider situation that they feel powerless to. An accusation made against you that isn’t true, or a guilt-by-association that doesn’t reflect you, can fade over time once the initial outrage and engagement subside. If a story has a short lifespan and will fade on its own, giving no response could be the best option you have, as it avoids amplifying and extending focus on the issue.
If you do want to respond, if it’s escalating and involving your core audience, it doesn’t need to be a detailed defense or full-on apology. A brief acknowledgement that shows empathy and understanding can de-escalate. Show that you understand why people are upset and that you take that seriously, explain that you’re listening, clarify your position, and leave it at that.
Here’s an example:
The situation:
You’re a popular fitness creator with a community focused on natural health, and you’re seen on a friend’s Instagram story at a conference for a well-known multi-level marketing company that sells essential oils. Critics accuse you of supporting a predatory business model and spreading anti-science misinformation, even though you didn’t post about it yourself.
The response:
Pause scheduled content so you don’t seem out of touch with the community’s concerns.
Assess the situation: gather facts and review social media to understand who is upset and what their specific criticisms are.
Resist the instinct to fire off a defensive reply driven by panic or anger.
Prepare a brief, non-defensive holding statement to show awareness of the issue to buy goodwill and time. For example, “I’ve seen your comments and messages regarding a recent event I attended. I hear your concerns, and I’m taking them very seriously. I’ll be sharing a more thoughtful response soon. Thank you for your patience.”
Prepare a statement to post on the platforms where the commentary is most active (and be sure to maintain consistency across all channels). Express empathy, be honest, and re-establish credibility. For example:
Hi everyone, I want to address the concerns you’ve raised after I was seen at a conference for an essential oils company. I hear you, and I understand why many of you are upset. I’ve read your comments about MLMs and recognize the strong, valid feelings and negative experiences many people have with this business model.
I attended to support a close friend who was speaking at the event. I now realize that my attendance was perceived as an endorsement of the company and its business practices.
This is not the case.
My personal brand and work are not affiliated with this company or any MLM.
My commitment has always been to provide you with evidence-based, transparent health and wellness information. That has not changed.
Moving forward, I will be more discerning about how my attendance at events can be perceived as endorsement. I am committed to upholding the values of this community and maintaining my professional integrity.
This response leads with empathy, isn’t defensive, doesn’t blame the audience, provides a clear explanation, reaffirms core values, and shows forward-looking thinking, emphasizing a commitment to preventing a recurrence.