‘Most disgusting comments': Skye Wheatley shares horrific trolling experience

News.com.au

3 days ago

A new trend has emerged where influencers are no longer taking bad behaviour online lying down, and are now directly hitting back.
Skye Wheatley, who rose to fame on Big Brother, was on her Nova podcast Skye & Callum discussing the fact that fellow influencer Indy Clinton had hired a private investigator to find her alleged trolls. She then revealed that she had experienced some of the 'most disgusting comments' on her own social media platforms.
'Some people say like 'go die' and sh*t, it's pretty f***ed up,' the Aussie reality TV star said.
'I actually did have a phone call with her [Clinton] about it, because she was struggling with all the comments. It's a lot.'
Wheatley then revealed she had been in a similar situation to Clinton, and had hired a lawyer as a result.
'You know those gossip hate pages? They kept on posting my videos, they would reshare all my stuff and bully,' she said.
'I actually got a lawyer involved and sent them out an email to say, 'If you continue, then we will take action'.
'It just gets too much — it gets to a point where I've tried to ignore you, and you're in my face. Go away.'
A trend appears to be emerging where content creators take action against online tormentors after Clinton revealed back in June she hired a private investigator to look into the anonymous accounts allegedly behind her incessant trolling.
She hoped to uncover their identities in order to pursue legal action. The 28-year-old mum of three revealed on Stellar's Something to Talk About podcast that she was not asking for money from the alleged culprits.
Instead, she wanted change.
'Because I've done social media as my job for so many years, and nothing has ever changed. I am super keen on starting a charity for families and loved ones to access the resources they need to track down the trolls,' she told the podcast.
One of the most surprising things that Clinton's private investigator uncovered was that a number of the alleged culprits were also mums. The social media star claimed she had been in contact with one of the women she claimed was responsible for a large chunk of the trolling.
'I said, 'It's too late, the damage is done, babe. What you've posted over the last years has caused ongoing damage to my mental health, my image, my family, my partner's mental health. I've sat silent for long enough. I know who you are. So keep going',' she said.
'Within two hours of that communication, she deleted it. Which is just so funny because I'm like, you're such a moron. You're only deleting it now because you're caught out. If you didn't get caught out, you'd just keep harassing someone.'
The internet lost its collective mind over the WAG-atha Christie-esque move when Clinton unveiled her boss behaviour, with several influencers praising the 2023 TikTok Creator of the Year winner.
Tarah Elizabeth, who documents her ADHD and pregnancy journey, said a 'huge thank you' to the popular influencer.
'For so long, it's felt like we just have to cop it. Like these people can say whatever they want, spread fake stories, push harmful narrative and fuel hate … all without consequences,' she said.
'But here the truth: you're not above the law. You're not protected from defamation. And you're not truly anonymous behind your burner accounts (the ones they make after we block them).
'We block you, and you come back. It's relentless. It's damaging. And it's enough.
'Thank you, Indy, for speaking up and starting this conversation. This culture of belittling, bullying and hiding behind your keyboards had gone way too far and it's enough.'
Lucy Jackson called the move 'iconic', saying that the bullies were starting to get what was coming to them.
Brittney Saunders, a content creator and the woman behind FAYT the Label, also congratulated Clinton. She claimed people like the accused are usually a creator's 'number one fan'.
'This was always going to happen and I am glad she has come out and said, 'Look out, I've got all of your information,' Saunders said.
'I'm all for influencers, content creators and celebrities being called out when they're genuinely doing something wrong but people hiding behind faceless accounts or anonymous accounts and just relentlessly ripping on people that they don't even know is just disgusting behaviour.'