"The Brand Told Me To Unalive Myself Because I Was Late Posting A TikTok" — This Mom's Viral Story Exposes The Reality Of How Cruel And Manipulative The Influencer Industry Can Be
A Texas woman named Joanne Romarate is sharing her recent exchange with a brand on TikTok after she agreed to make a video in exchange for a free product.
Joanne began making TikToks during COVID-19 in 2020 and has grown a following of over 35,000. She is currently a student and told BuzzFeed she likes making content for fun. She also posts review videos and partners with brands on occasion.
But, what happened recently to Joanne is leaving the TikTok community stunned. It all started after a brand named Rugsstyle reached out, asking if Joanne would make a review video in exchange for a free rug. She agreed and the brand requested she make the video within a week of receiving.
Rugsstyle is a Chinese-based company selling products on TikTok Shop. I could not find a website or any other information about them.
However, as a mom in school juggling two toddlers, Joanne was very busy when the rug came and had to delay the video. "I was two days late when I received a threatening email."
The email says, "You liar. Didn't your parents teach you to be honest? Or are you an orphan with no parents? Do your parents know that they gave birth to and raised such a shameless you? Do your children know they have a mother who has no dignity and lies to others? Do your friends know that they know you as such a shameless person? Or are you surrounded by people who are undignified scum like you. We haven't received your video yet, we will report all of your videos within 24 hours, which will limit your account traffic and even remove your videos. We have more than 20 accounts that can report you and leave comments below your account, telling your followers what a liar you are."
Joanne said the email made her feel unsafe, especially after more emails kept coming in:
And the emails did not stop after two. When Joanne got an email threatening her family, she decided to share her experience on TikTok to spread awareness.
Over 2 million people became invested — and rightfully upset over the situation.
After her videos started getting attention on the platform, Joanne received an email from the company offering her $400 to remove her content on the matter.
Joanne refused the money and the company issued this public statement on their TikTok page, saying they regret the behavior and have launched an internal investigation:
At the end of the day, Joanne feels it is important to share her story to spread awareness. She hopes people do their due diligence in researching companies before partnering with them on TikTok Shop. "Be careful and learn from me," she concluded. Oh, and if you're curious, here is what the rug looks like:
If you've had a bad experience, share your story in the comments to spread more awareness. Thanks to Joanne for sharing her story. You can follow her on TikTok here.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org.
GoodTherapy.org is an association of mental health professionals from more than 25 countries who support efforts to reduce harm in therapy.
