The Worst Day Of Someone's Life Shouldn't Be Your Content Strategy
'Everything is content.' It's a mantra well known in the creator economy. Every meal, documented. Every matcha latte, photographed. Even a mundane errand—picking up dry cleaning—can become a backdrop for storytelling. Why? Because the next viral video can come from anything. And virality means followers, and followers mean monetization.
But in an era where influencers wield the ability to direct millions of people's attention toward a single moment, how intentional should they be with that power?
Yesterday, a controversy surrounding the CEO and an HR executive at startup Astronaut captured viral attention. Videos dissecting the event flooded TikTok and Instagram. Some offered commentary (dripping in schadenfreude), while others leaned into creating memes. Surprisingly, much of the content was posted by official corporate accounts capitalizing on the virality of the moment for marketing their product. To many viewers, it was just drama. But for the individuals involved, it was likely the worst day of their lives, played out for millions, on loop.
This kind of content creation raises the question: When is it citizen journalism, and when is it exploitation? Is it engaging in productive dialogue, or is it entertainment at someone else's expense?
And yes, I recognize the irony: by writing this, I too am participating in a moment that's already saturated the content cycle (ugh!). But I'm not interested in perpetuating the drama. I'm interested in what it reveals about the ecosystem we've built. One where pain can be packaged for clicks, and where the line between creator and commentator, journalist and entertainer, is more blurred than ever.
Creators today hold the kind of influence that used to be reserved for legacy media, and with that influence should come responsibility. The line between commentary and sensationalism is thinner than ever.
Doctors have the hippocratic oath. Venture capital firms often develop ethical investing theses: some won't invest in gambling, smoking, or other industries that promote harmful behavior. Creators, too, must develop a personal code of ethics.
At the same time, viewers should ask: Am I rewarding content that harms others?
In the attention economy, our eyeballs are votes and clicks are dollars. We shape the algorithm that enables creators' livelihood.
Not everything needs to be content. And sometimes, the most humane thing a creator can do is choose not to post.
If you're a creator, what's your line when it comes to storytelling and virality?A special thanks to Jean Luo for her contributions to this discussion.
Follow me on Instagram or LinkedIn. Check out my website.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
Fans pay tribute as emotional Sharon Osbourne lays flowers at Ozzy memorial
Fans pay tribute as emotional Sharon Osbourne lays flowers at Ozzy memorial Thousands of fans paid their respects to Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne as his hearse made its way through the streets of Birmingham, the English city where he grew up and where the band was formed in 1968. Osbourne died last Tuesday at the age of 76. 00:46 - Source: CNN Vertical Trending Now 17 videos Fans pay tribute as emotional Sharon Osbourne lays flowers at Ozzy memorial Thousands of fans paid their respects to Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne as his hearse made its way through the streets of Birmingham, the English city where he grew up and where the band was formed in 1968. Osbourne died last Tuesday at the age of 76. 00:46 - Source: CNN Crocodile gets caught underneath moving truck A bystander captured video of a crocodile caught underneath a truck driving through high water in Australia at Kakadu National Park. 00:25 - Source: CNN Beyoncé brings out Destiny's Child during final show Beyoncé reunited Destiny's Child during her concert at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, with Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland joining her on stage to perform a medley of the group's biggest hits, as part of her final Cowboy Carter show. 00:45 - Source: CNN Gwyneth Paltrow joins Astronomer as temporary spokesperson Actress and Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow appeared in a new ad for Astronomer, the tech firm whose former CEO and human resources chief were caught in an awkward moment on a Jumbotron at a Coldplay concert last week. Paltrow is the ex-wife of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. 00:51 - Source: CNN 'South Park' skewers Trump after signing new Paramount deal In their first episode of the season, the creators of "South Park" mocked President Donald Trump and Paramount after they just signed a new $1.5 billion contract. Paramount is looking to merge with Skydance Media and needs the Trump-influenced FCC to approve the deal. 01:24 - Source: CNN Hot Chinese brands are coming to America Chinese brands like Luckin Coffee, Pop Mart, and HEYTEA are expanding in the United States, despite the ongoing trade war. CNN's Vanessa Yurkevich and Marc Stewart report from two different continents on why the companies covet American customers. 02:10 - Source: CNN Fans pay tribute to Ozzy Osbourne Fans have gathered in Ozzy Osbourne's hometown to pay tribute to the former Black Sabbath singer, who died yesterday at the age of 76. One of them told CNN's Salma Abdelaziz that Osbourne will 'live on forever in his music.' 01:07 - Source: CNN Metal legend Ozzy Osbourne dies at 76-years-old Ozzy Osbourne, the hellraising frontman of Black Sabbath and reality TV star, has died aged 76. CNN's Stephanie Elam looks back at the legendary career as the Godfather of Heavy Metal. 03:05 - Source: CNN Missing child case from 46 years ago reopened A federal appeals court overturned the verdict of Pedro Hernandez, the bodega worker who was found guilty in 2017 of kidnapping and murdering Etan Patz in 1979. Patz was 6 years old when he disappeared on the first day he was allowed to walk alone to his school bus stop in New York City. 01:50 - Source: CNN Tesla Diner opens in Los Angeles The first Tesla Diner opened on Monday in Los Angeles to a crowd of customers. The restaurant has Tesla chargers, a robot that serves popcorn and a drive-in movie theater. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he plans to build more diners in the future if this location succeeds. 00:58 - Source: CNN Is Coca-Cola with cane sugar healthier? Coca-Cola will launch a new soda in the US made with cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup. CNN's Jacqueline Howard looks at the difference between the two sweeteners. 01:29 - Source: CNN Stephen Colbert addresses 'The Late Show' cancellation 'Cancel culture has gone too far,' Stephen Colbert told the audience as he began his first post-cancellation episode of 'The Late Show.' The host went on to fire back at Trump's Truth Social post celebrating the announcement by CBS. The episode also featured cameos by late night talk show hosts including Jimmy Fallon, Jon Stewart, John Oliver and Seth Meyers. 01:24 - Source: CNN Malcolm-Jamal Warner's impact on Black community Actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, best known for his role as Cliff Huxtable on 'The Cosby Show,' has died at age 54 in a drowning accident in Costa Rica where he was on vacation with family, according to authorities. Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation Department told CNN that Warner was swimming Sunday at Playa Grande de Cocles in Limon province when a current pulled him deeper into the ocean, where the Red Cross later declared him dead. CNN's Lisa Respers France reports. 00:59 - Source: CNN International visitors to US will pay new fee CNN's Richard Quest explains how the Trump administration enacted a bill that will require international visitors to pay a new 'visa integrity fee' of $250 dollars. The fee will apply to all visitors who are required to obtain nonimmigrant visas to enter the US. 01:36 - Source: CNN Pilot apologizes after making hard turn to avoid B-52 bomber A pilot flying a Delta Air Lines regional jet apologized to his passengers on Friday after making an 'aggressive maneuver' to avoid hitting a US Air Force B-52 bomber, audio shared on TikTok from the incident shows. SkyWest Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the close call. 01:08 - Source: CNN Comparing Scottie Scheffler to Tiger Woods Scottie Scheffler's win at the Open has drawn comparisons to the great Tiger Woods. CNN Sports' Patrick Snell has taken a look at some interesting stats that show Scheffler's on course for greatness. 00:38 - Source: CNN Coldplay's Chris Martin warns concertgoers Coldplay's lead singer, Chris Martin, could be heard warning the audience about cameras at a concert in Madison, Wisconsin. 00:50 - Source: CNN
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Sylvia Young, the theatre school founder that taught likes of Dua Lipa and Amy Winehouse, dies aged 86
Sylvia Young – the founder of a theatre school which taught the likes of singer Amy Winehouse, singer Dua Lipa and EastEnders actor Adam Woodyatt – has died aged 86. Her daughters Alison and Frances Ruffelle said it was with 'great sadness' that they confirmed the death of their mother – who 'passed away peacefully' on Wednesday, in a statement posted on the Sylvia Young Agency Instagram account. Their statement read: 'Our mum was a true visionary, she gave young people from all walks of life the chance to pursue their performing arts skills to the highest standard. 'Her rare ability to recognise raw talent and encourage all her students contributed to the richness of today's theatre and music world, even winning herself an Olivier Award along the way. 'She believed hard work with a bit of luck brought success, and she was an example of that herself. She leaves as her legacy a wealth of brilliant performers, a thriving school bearing her name, and a priceless place in the nation's heart.' The Sylvia Young Theatre School, which was established in 1972 offering full-time and part-time courses, produced a wide range of stars including Rita Ora, to actors such as James Bond star Lashana Lynch, Doctor Who's Billie Piper and Nosferatu's Nicholas Hoult. Young's daughters added: 'Above all she leaves the memory of an East End girl who worked hard to achieve her goals, took hold of life, and lived it to the full. 'Her family were everything to her, her wonderful husband, our dad, Norman and her grandchildren Eliza, Nat, Felix and Coral plus her great grandson Rex. 'We share her love with her wide and inclusive family, her friends, her students. You all meant the world to her. 'We will miss her so very much.' McFly star Tom Fletcher met his wife, podcaster and presenter Giovanna Fletcher, at the school, which they attended from the age of 13, with Young attending their wedding. In a tribute, Giovanna posted on Instagram: 'My life would not be what it is without Sylvia Young. 'I remember watching Sylvia on Live And Kicking when I was 12 years old, she was talking about her school and all the fun they had there. 'I phoned up for a brochure and applied for a scholarship without telling my mum and dad, I didn't get the scholarship, but I got a place with a 'deal' attached because Sylvia wanted me there – something I quickly learned the majority of the 140 students had.' She continued: 'I loved sitting in Sylvia's office and watching her work. 'She was meticulous, she knew what every child was up to and how to get the best out of everyone, she was devoted to helping her kids and I know how much she cared for each of us. Sometimes she cared when others didn't – helping some incredible talent flourish in the process. 'No-one ever wanted to upset Sylvia and that's not because she would get angry and shout, quite the opposite, Sylvia's disapproval was enough – because we all knew how lucky we were to be at that school, doing what we loved. We all wanted to impress her, and that never stopped.' In a comment on Young's daughters' social media post, actress Bonnie Langford added: 'Such sad news, Sylvia was such an inspiring, kind and generous person. 'She made a difference to so many and will be missed by so many, love to all the family and all those who she made feel were her family. Heartfelt condolences to you Frances and Alison and to Stephen and all the team.' Radio presenter Tony Blackburn, who was a friend of Young, also paid tribute in a post on X. He said: 'So sorry to hear Sylvia Young has passed away, she founded the Sylvia Young Theatre School which has been responsible for starting so many careers in TV and Theatre. 'She was a very lovely lady who I have had the privilege of knowing for many years. She will be sadly missed.' Young was the subject of an episode of This Is Your Life in 1998, and was appointed an Officer Of The Order Of The British Empire (OBE) in 2005 for her services to the arts. She married Norman Ruffelle in London in 1961, and is the grandmother of singer Eliza Doolittle.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry £78m Netflix update after show 'flop'
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will continue to work with Netflix despite 'With Love, Meghan' not performing too well on the platform, an insider has said. Meghan's wholesome show ranked 383 in the platform's most-watched titles between January and June 2025. It attracted 5.3million viewers worldwide since it was first broadcast in March and showed Meghan cooking, gardening and hosting A-list pals. READ MORE: Foreign Office warns UK tourists to 'follow orders' as 3,500 forced to leave However, it was outperformed by hundreds of lesser-known shows in the first six months of this year including repeats of Meghan's old TV drama, Suits, in which she starred before meeting Harry. PR expert Dermot McNamara believes Netflix won't sever ties with the Sussexes just yet, as they will want first dibs on that explosive first interview, should the couple ever divorce. He told The Mirror: "The fairytale narrative has stalled, their creative output hasn't delivered consistent returns and audiences are increasingly sceptical. "There are only so many chances Netflix can take on them, before they're just wasting money for the sake of it. 'But Netflix knows that if cracks appear, or if the couple split, there'll be global demand for the inside story. That's when their value skyrockets again.' Dermot believes Netflix will want to be 'at the front of the queue' should the couple eventually go their separate ways. He said: 'The sense in industry circles is that Netflix haven't cut ties with Harry and Meghan entirely because, frankly, they might be sitting on the most valuable content of all: the fallout. 'Rumours of their Netflix contract not being renewed when it runs out in September is a quiet signal that the platform is no longer banking on them as creative talent, but they're keeping the relationship warm. "Why? Because if the Sussex marriage ever unravels, it would be the streaming coup of the decade. It's a brutal calculation, but this is Hollywood.' It is not the first time that Harry, 40, and Meghan, 43, have faced rumours that their seven-year marriage is on the rocks. Last December, Harry addressed the speculation and said it was 'hard to keep up with' the allegations made on social media. He added: "'Apparently we've bought or moved houses 10, 12 times,' he said at The New York Times' DealBook Summit. "We've apparently divorced maybe 10, 12 times as well. So it's just like, what?' During her first-ever podcast interview on The Jamie Kern Lima Show in April, Meghan was asked if she believes that she and Harry will 'be married forever'. She said: 'Yes. He's also a fox, if you haven't noticed. My husband's very, very handsome. But his heart is even more beautiful. "There's something that is not to be taken for granted when you have a partner and a spouse who is just so behind you. "You know, I mean, H, that man loves me so much. And you know, look what we built. We've built a beautiful life, and we have two healthy, beautiful children [Archie and Lilibet].'
