by By: Katrina Block
Social media and the internet have unlocked many new challenges one can face while being an influencer or public figure. Being an influencer on social media puts you at risk of being a victim of cancel culture. To cancel an influencer or celebrity means you want to remove them from their power and hold them responsible for their actions. If you find yourself in a position where you are being canceled, you have to handle the situation very carefully. Being canceled can ruin your whole career no matter how severe or minor the allegations are.
Many people are able to bounce back after being canceled, however some are not. If you handle the situation well, you won’t lose your career. I’m here to give some tips and tell you how to approach this situation.
One of the first steps is usually to apologize. However, the way you apologize is detrimental to your success. The public is going to look to see if your apology really seems genuine. One way to NOT seem genuine is with a “notes app” apology. This apology is a screenshot of a message that was typed out in your notes app. If you post a notes app apology, the public will not believe anything you say. The best way to apologize is with a video to show you truly care. Make sure the video isn’t too scripted or the public will not think you are actually sorry. It’s a fine line to walk, but it’s a line that is possible to walk successfully. Following the apology, you need to take action. If you apologize but show no character improvement or do no work (like volunteering or making donations) publicly, your apology will not be credible to the public.
The main thing you can do is take responsibility and own up to your actions. You should handle the situation seriously even if you don’t think it’s that big of a deal. Only put out words that you mean, if you don’t mean it, the public will be able to tell and it will ruin your reputation even more. Also, acknowledge that there are some situations one may not be able to bounce back from. Your platform may not ever go back to what it was, but you should still work your hardest to maintain your reputation.
While I hope you never have to deal with being canceled, if you do, take action and do it well.
Hi Katrina, thanks so much for sharing!
This is such an interesting blog topic. I agree that some people can bounce back after cancel culture, but the reason the reason for being canceled plays a role in that. I also think that someone’s apology can make or break them when being canceled. It seems like in most cases it’s a break situation, and it ends up making things worse. As you mentioned audiences can see when someone isn’t being authentic in their response to being canceled. I like how you mentioned taking action post-apology. You don’t often see people actively trying to learn, grow, or educate themselves after getting canceled. In my opinion, that is the most crucial thing someone could do to try and rebuild their reputation.
Hello Katrina,
Cancel culture is such a new phenomenon, thank you for sharing your opinions on it! I agree that this new age of social media has made cancel culture (and knowing how to navigate it) an important thing for our generation. Your tips on being genuine are very solid and need to be shown to the people who have done the “notes” apology method. Taking responsibility is also key when navigating cancel culture.
Hey Kathrina! Your post was so interesting to read. I have always had a curiosity about cancel culture and how PR professionals have had to work around it. I think that this is super important knowledge that everyone should know about just in case it happens to them. Great job!
Hi Katrina! I really appreciated your insight on cancel culture. It’s such a new but prominent phenomenon and it has definitely changed the game for PR professionals. I think you were spot on with your tips on how to handle it, as not taking responsibility or posting a notes app apology only make the matter worse. Great post!