最後更新日期 2025-03-06 by BossMT
First Post Date 2025-02-18（First image / Leonardo）
In the age of clicks and views, influencers will do anything to stay relevant. The line between fame and infamy has blurred, giving rise to a dark marketing strategy: “Bad publicity is still publicity.”
Once upon a time, influencers thrived on talent and creativity. Then came the era of controversy and manufactured drama. Now? It’s all about the apology video and nostalgia baiting.
— And guess what? The fans come crawling back.
The Rise and Fall of Influencers: When Clout Comes at a Cost
The recent scandal involving Taiwanese influencer Soon Sun (孫生) has once again sparked discussion: Why do so many once-thriving internet personalities crash and burn? Some fall from grace, some get “canceled,” and others end up at the penitentiary.
▮ Controversy as Content: Is “Black Fame” Still Fame?
There was a time when influencers rose to fame through creativity and humor. Now? Scandals, cheating, and drama seem to be the fastest ticket to virality. But let’s be fair — not all influencers are like this. The problem is, the ones who thrive on controversy are often the loudest.
Take Soon Sun (孫生), for example. When allegations of harassment first surfaced, he doubled down: “Nope, not apologizing!” Then, as the backlash grew, he suddenly changed his tune: “If I made her uncomfortable, I’ll apologize… and pay up.” Worse, he attempted to manipulate public opinion, shifting the blame onto the actual victims. But, Money doesn’t erase accountability. Have people really become so desensitized that right and wrong can be bought?
But he’s not alone.
- Logan Paul: Filmed a deceased person in Japan’s “Suicide Forest” and faced worldwide backlash. Guess what? He came back stronger than ever, launching a multi-million-dollar energy drink brand.
- James Charles: Multiple scandals, from alleged predatory behavior to fake giveaways. Still pulling millions in sponsorship deals.
- Andrew Tate: Banned from platforms for misogynistic content, only to return with an even bigger following.
And remember the Taiwan YouTuber who staged a fake kidnapping in Cambodia and got arrested? Or how about the influencer-turned-politician caught in a MeToo scandal, now serving time? Scandal after scandal, and yet, these people still rake in the views. Is this a moral crisis, or just the logical evolution of a fame-hungry internet culture?
Getting dragged online? Congrats, your views just skyrocketed.
Dropping an apology video? Make sure it’s at least 8 minutes long — gotta maximize those ad placements.
Haters flooding the comments? The algorithm loves engagement. Apology videos are carefully crafted to be exactly 8 minutes long (yes, that’s the minimum length to maximize ad revenue). Even the dramatic black screen at the end? That’s not your phone glitching; it’s extra ad space.
▮ The Scandal-Redemption Cycle: A Playbook for Internet Fame
At this point, there’s a predictable 3-step formula for influencer scandals:
Deny everything. Play dumb and gauge public reaction. See how bad the backlash gets.
Apologize strategically. Drop a carefully crafted apology video (8 minutes, minimum). Bonus points if you cry.
Wait it out, then make a comeback. Once the outrage dies down, wait for people to forget, rebrand yourself as a changed person. Boom, brand deals are back.
And guess what? It works. Again and again.
This is the world we live in — where controversy fuels clicks, and clicks translate to cash. The real question is: At what point do audiences stop falling for the act?
Controversy = Views = Money? Really?
▮ Are people’s kindness giving influencers a free pass to make a comeback?
Some say people are too forgiving. Others argue audiences simply have short memories when it comes to online drama. Every influencer scandal feels like a Netflix series: dramatic, messy, and ultimately forgotten when the next big controversy hits. And that’s why influencer scandals play out like a never-ending soap opera — rerun after rerun, season after season.
People are generous when it comes to giving second chances. But that kindness? It’s also a golden ticket for some influencers to stage their comebacks. They know people have short memories and love a good spectacle, so they turn every scandal into an opportunity for a fresh wave of clicks, views, and — of course — profit.
Some genuinely believe these fallen influencers have learned their lesson. But most? They’re just getting swept up by the algorithm, clicking on videos and unknowingly fueling the very cycle that keeps these “bad publicity is still publicity” stories alive. And the influencers? They’re digging into that gold mine of controversy — one click at a time.
▮ The Final Destination for Influencers: Prison or Peak Engagement?
We’ve seen it happen over and over again —
From rising stars to clout-chasing maniacs.
Some hustle for content, others stir up drama. The first group burns out, the second gets rich.
A ruined reputation? No big deal. As long as the views keep coming, a quick rebrand is all it takes for a comeback.
It’s a never-ending cycle:
- Massive backlash? Views skyrocket.
- Apology video? More ad revenue.
- Redemption arc? Wash, rinse, repeat.
Is clout the ultimate get-out-of-jail-free card for influencers? Or just the funeral money burned at the altar of fame?
When influencers treat scandals as business strategies, when audiences reward bad behavior with views, when controversy becomes the fastest route to fame, is there any way out of this mess? As long as influencers are willing to push moral boundaries for clicks, this game isn’t just broken — it’s completely rigged.
Conclusion: Clout Isn’t a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card
Money can buy hype, but it can’t buy respect.
Views can bring attention, but they don’t create real value.
Chasing clicks and cash isn’t inherently wrong. But when influencers keep pushing moral boundaries for profit, when public memory keeps shrinking, and when controversy marketing becomes the golden rule—are we consuming content, or are we the ones being consumed? We think we’re choosing what to watch, but maybe, just maybe, the algorithm is choosing for us.
At the end of the day, who’s really in control? The influencers? The audience? Or the system that thrives on controversy?
Is this industry evolving for the better, or are we just watching it spiral into something worse? Can we still change course?
So, what do we do? Keep feeding the machine, or finally pull the plug?
And suddenly, I can’t help but think — doesn’t this all feel eerily similar to the world of political spin and online propaganda?….
