Even if you’ve never created content before, you know about cancel culture. As a content creator, you’re more than familiar with cancel culture. It’s a modern-day boogeyman, lurking around every livestream and comment section. And while we often talk about cancel culture and its implications for the cancelled, no one’s talking about the larger implications.
In this article, we’re discussing cancel culture and how it’s affected aspiring creators.
What is Cancel Culture 🤔
At this point, cancel culture needs no introduction. But just so we’re all on the same page, here’s a quick definition!
According to Merriam-Webster, cancel culture is the practice or tendency of engaging in mass cancelling as a way of expressing disapproval and exerting social pressure. It’s also a way for the masses to hold someone accountable and make them change. But it’s jarring; it can feel like the whole internet, and sometimes the whole world, is turning on you.
Nothing New – Just Accessible ✨
Cancel culture isn’t anything new. Viewers and media channels have been cancelling celebrities and public figures for years. But the wider population didn’t have a platform to speak out against celebrities and public figures they disagreed with. There was no replying on Twitter or stitching a TikTok; you may have emailed an article written by a reporter to friends and family. With social media being more widespread, now anyone and everyone can say how they feel.
Which also means some creators are leaving breadcrumbs.
Digital Footprint 👣
It’s no secret that young adults, teenagers, and even children have internet access. We’ve all come across a video of a rich middle schooler talking about all the stuff they’ve gotten for Christmas. Kids and teens are posting a lot on social media, sometimes to the point that they don’t even remember what they said.
Which is usually the problem. Influencers and content creators have been cancelled or called out for posts they made when they were younger. Usually, they no longer agree with what they posted. But some creators don’t learn that lesson until it’s too late…
“I Didn’t Know” 🤷
It’s more common for creators of all ages to get cancelled or called out in real time. Creators post something controversial, share their opinion on current events, and suddenly, their mentions are flooded with responses. For some creators, it’s as simple as not knowing they were sharing a hot take. Other creators make a dumb choice that they don’t really consider. And other creators just have controversial takes or want to have an open, honest conversation that could be considered controversial.
Sometimes a creator bounces back, either without an apology or with a well-thought-out, meaningful one. On the other end of the spectrum, some creators can’t go back to posting at all. For people who have a passion for content creation or rely on it for income, that’s a scary prospect.
Now that we’ve talked about how people get cancelled, let’s talk about cancel culture’s impact on aspiring creators.
Cancel Culture’s Impact on Influencers 🧠
There are a couple of different ways that cancel culture has impacted social media and influencers. Let’s get into them.
Defensive 👎
A good number of creators continue on as normal. But when asked a question or met with what could feel like resistance, they get defensive. Someone asked a question that feels pointed? They go on a rant. A comment says their recent project lowkey sucks? Let’s snap back. This way, they’re always ready for a potential cancellation.
Distanced 👎
Some creators attempt to keep their audience distanced to avoid getting cancelled. It sets clear boundaries and keeps them at arm’s length, so they’re less likely to develop a parasocial relationship and go digging. Creators might also attempt to be vague or shed their personality to achieve the same results.
Self-Censoring 👎
A lot of creators have started censoring themselves out of fear that they’ll say something wrong. Sometimes this looks like creators not sharing their opinion on hot-button issues. Othertimes, though, creators end up removing large chunks of their personality or interests to avoid being cancelled.
Aprehension 👎
Aspiring creators with a controversial past might be afraid to start posting online. Maybe they have some bad takes online they no longer agree with, or are worried something will come back to haunt them. Whatever the case may be, some creators are scared to post or scared to grow their following, in case something cancelable gets brought up.
This last one is what ends up holding a lot of potential creators back. They don’t explore their interest in content creation because they’re afraid they’ll make a mistake and get cancelled.
But that’s most social media. Clapper’s different.
Clapper and Cancellation ❌
On Clapper, our community doesn’t cancel people. Our creators value open communication and hearing from a variety of viewpoints. They want to have hard conversations, even if it leads to some disagreements. And you won’t be cancelled for saying what you think. We value conversation instead.
Welcoming Community 🫶
Our community is known for being welcoming and inviting. That doesn’t end after your first week; it extends into conversations about politics and current events. Even if you have different beliefs or opinions, our community wants to hear you out and understand where you’re coming from.
Anti-Shadowbanning 🫶
As a platform, we don’t believe in shadowbanning creators for having an opinion we don’t agree with. You can express yourself without worrying about losing your platform.
Accountability 🧡
Just because you won’t get cancelled doesn’t mean you won’t encounter some arguments. You can express your opinions and say how you feel, but there might still be people who disagree with you.
But users aren’t trying to cancel you. It’s not uncommon for our creators to be friends despite their differences. And even if someone says something out of turn, they’re more interested in helping you learn from your mistake. They want to hold you accountable, not cancel you and keep you from creating content.
Again, that doesn’t mean you won’t find people you disagree with. But you won’t be met with the same hate and dismissal you’ll find on other platforms. And you won’t be shadowbanned for having an opinion the platform doesn’t like.
How This Affects Our Creators 🤩
Instead of walking on glass or censoring themselves, creators feel like they can be free on Clapper! They’re more willing to be themselves and share what they’re thinking with their community. They can actually embrace the community and get to know them. Because Clapper is a welcoming, judgment-free zone, creators can be authentically themselves without worrying about cancellation or shadowbanning.
Want to learn more about Clapper and how to get started? Check out our Creator’s Guide to Clapper series! Curious about our community guidelines? We broke them down in these articles!
The Clapper app is a short-form video and Livestream app for creators 17+. Our goal is to give creators a platform to build communities and express themselves freely without judgment and censorship. To learn more, download the app or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.