18 Massive Influencer Scandals We Completely Forgot
The internet has a short memory when it comes to drama. One week, everyone’s talking about some wild controversy involving a YouTuber or Instagram star, and the next week, it’s like nothing ever happened.
Social media moves fast, and so does our collective attention span. Some scandals were huge at the time but faded into the background as new drama took over.
Here are the influencer meltdowns that once dominated timelines but somehow slipped through the cracks of internet history.
Logan Paul’s forest video
Back in 2017, Logan Paul posted one of the most tone-deaf videos in YouTube history while visiting Japan’s Aokigahara forest. The footage showed a deceased person, and Paul’s reaction was anything but respectful.
The backlash was immediate and fierce, with people calling for YouTube to remove him from the platform entirely. YouTube did suspend his ad revenue and dropped him from premium projects, but he bounced back surprisingly fast.
These days, he’s moved on to boxing matches and energy drink ventures, and most people under 20 probably don’t even know this happened.
Tana Mongeau’s fake convention
TanaCon was intended to be Tana Mongeau’s rival of VidCon in 2018, but it ended up being a total fiasco. A large number of fans came to a venue that was not capable of handling the crowd, and people were left standing outside in the California sun without water and disorganized, for hours.
The event got shut down after only one day, and the attendees were really mad. Tana kept apologizing and blaming poor planning, but the harm was already done.
She somehow managed to save her career and now TanaCon seems like a nightmare that perhaps never really happened.
James Charles loses millions overnight
The Tati Westbrook and James Charles feud in 2019 was one of the fastest subscriber drops ever recorded on YouTube. Tati posted a 43-minute video accusing James of betraying her and using his fame inappropriately, and James lost nearly 3 million subscribers in just a few days.
He fired back with his own video that included receipts and screenshots, and public opinion swung back in his direction pretty quickly. Within weeks, he’d gained all those subscribers back and then some.
The whole thing feels ancient now, even though it was only a few years ago.
Olivia Jade’s college admission scheme
Olivia Jade Giannulli was living the influencer dream until 2019, when her parents got caught up in the massive college admissions scandal. Turns out her mom, Lori Loughlin, and her dad paid half a million dollars to get Olivia and her sister into USC as fake rowing recruits.
Olivia lost brand deals with Sephora and other major companies almost instantly. Her parents ended up serving time in prison, and Olivia went quiet for a while.
She’s tried to make a comeback on YouTube and even appeared on ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ but the scandal definitely left a mark.
Pewdiepie’s bridge moment
Felix Kjellberg, better known as PewDiePie, had several controversies over the years, but his 2017 livestream incident stands out. While playing a game, he used a racial slur in frustration, and the clip spread everywhere within hours.
Disney cut ties with him immediately, and YouTube canceled his premium show. Felix apologized and said there was no excuse for his language, and while he took a hit, his subscriber count barely budged.
He’s still one of the biggest creators on the platform, and many of his current fans probably never heard about this.
Jeffree Star’s past comments resurface
Jeffree Star built a beauty empire, but old videos showing him making deeply offensive and racist remarks came back to haunt him around 2020. People dug up footage from years earlier, and the internet demanded accountability.
Jeffree posted apologies and tried to explain that he’d changed, but the damage to his reputation was significant. He lost partnerships and faced calls for cancellation from all sides.
Still, his loyal fanbase stuck around, and he’s continued selling makeup like nothing happened.
David Dobrik’s Vlog Squad fallout
David Dobrik’s fun-loving vlogs took a dark turn in 2021 when serious allegations emerged about incidents involving his Vlog Squad. A former member spoke out about a traumatic experience that happened during filming, and sponsors started dropping David left and right.
He lost deals with major brands and stepped back from YouTube for several months. David eventually returned with apologies and attempts to rebuild his image.
His channel’s not quite as popular as before, but he’s still making content and trying to move forward.
Trisha Paytas quits Frenemies
The podcast called ‘Frenemies’ by Trisha Paytas and Ethan Klein attracted huge attention until it literally exploded in 2021. Without any warning Trisha decided to drop out in the middle of the show over financial arguments and disagreement on creative aspects, and the whole thing was a disaster in public.
Each one of them revealed their grievances through the internet, and the audience chose sides in what turned out to be an endless bickering. The scandal slowly disappeared when both of them started new ventures.
Trisha is currently producing family-oriented content, and Ethan is regularly releasing podcasts without her, as if the duo partnership had never happened.
Zoe Sugg’s ghostwriting controversy
Zoella was one of the biggest British YouTubers when her book ‘Girl Online’ came out in 2014 and broke records. Then people found out she’d used a ghostwriter, and fans felt deceived since she’d marketed it as her own work.
The backlash was swift, with many accusing her of being dishonest about the creative process. Zoe defended herself by saying most celebrity books use help, which is true, but the damage was done.
She’s still around making lifestyle content, but her book career never quite recovered the same momentum.
Colleen Ballinger’s ukulele response
Miranda Sings creator Colleen Ballinger faced serious allegations in 2023 about inappropriate relationships with young fans. Instead of a straightforward apology, she posted a ten-minute video where she sang her response while playing ukulele.
The internet absolutely roasted her for the bizarre approach, calling it tone-deaf and dismissive. Major brands distanced themselves, and her career took a significant hit.
The whole thing was so strange that it became a meme, but the underlying issues were far from funny.
Lele Pons faking her own kidnapping
Lele Pons staged a fake kidnapping prank in 2016 that completely backfired. She posted videos suggesting she’d been taken, and fans genuinely panicked before she revealed it was all for content.
People were furious that she’d manipulated their concern for views and engagement. The stunt was widely criticized as irresponsible and insensitive.
Lele apologized and moved on quickly, and somehow she’s maintained a successful career despite the questionable judgment.
Shane Dawson’s old content comes back
Shane Dawson faced a reckoning in 2020 when people started resharing his old videos filled with offensive jokes and problematic skits. Content involving blackface and inappropriate comments about minors resurfaced, and the internet wasn’t having it.
YouTube temporarily suspended his ad revenue, and he lost millions of subscribers. Shane posted lengthy apologies and stepped away from the platform for over a year.
He’s attempted comebacks since then, but his reputation never fully recovered to its previous height.
Gabbie Hanna’s 100-poem meltdown
Gabbie Hanna went through a very public breakdown on social media in 2022, sharing over 100 videos in a matter of days with the content becoming more and more alarming. She posted incoherent poetry and stated things that scared her fans and other creators.
There were discussions about whether she was going through a mental health crisis or if it was a very clever publicity stunt. In any case, it was quite a painful experience for the audience who witnessed it live.
Gabbie has removed most of these posts now and is not posting so frequently, however, this was a moment that really scared people.
Addison Rae’s UFC commentary gig
When Addison Rae got hired to do UFC commentary in 2021 despite having no combat sports background, the MMA community went wild. Experienced journalists who’d worked years in the field were understandably upset that a TikTok star got the opportunity over qualified people.
The criticism was intense, and many saw it as UFC prioritizing social media followers over actual expertise. Addison did the job for one event and then quietly stopped appearing in that capacity.
The whole thing blew over fast, but it highlighted ongoing tensions between traditional media and influencer culture.
Sienna Mae’s assault allegations
Sienna Mae Gomez faced serious accusations in 2021 from fellow TikToker Jack Wright, who alleged she’d assaulted him while he was unconscious. The claims included detailed accounts and were supported by friends who were present.
Sienna denied everything and posted her own response videos, but she lost followers and brand deals rapidly. The situation divided TikTok, with people demanding more accountability from the platform.
Both have since moved on to separate content, but the allegations left a cloud over Sienna’s career.
Nikita Dragun’s pool party during lockdown
Beauty influencer Nikita Dragun threw a massive birthday party in 2020 right in the middle of lockdown restrictions. She posted videos of dozens of maskless people partying at a rented mansion, completely ignoring health guidelines.
The timing couldn’t have been worse, as hospitals were overwhelmed and people were losing loved ones. Social media erupted with criticism, calling her selfish and irresponsible.
Nikita apologized after the backlash, but the damage was done. She’s continued her career with various other controversies popping up along the way.
Bryce Hall’s birthday bash
Bryce Hall also threw a huge party during the height of the pandemic in 2020, and Los Angeles officials were not pleased. The city actually shut off utilities to his rental house as punishment for repeated violations.
Videos showed crowds of young people packed together without masks, completely disregarding safety protocols. Bryce faced major criticism and even some legal consequences.
He eventually toned down the party content, but the incident showed how disconnected some influencers were from reality during a global crisis.
Dobre Brothers fake death prank
The Dobre Brothers posted a video in 2019 where they pranked their fans into thinking one of them had died. The thumbnail and title were deliberately misleading, and younger viewers genuinely believed something terrible had happened.
Parents were furious that their kids were traumatized for the sake of views and clicks. The brothers faced intense backlash and eventually took the video down.
They apologized, but the stunt revealed how far some creators will go for engagement without considering the impact.
Where the drama went
These scandals burned bright and faded fast, replaced by whatever controversy came next in the endless scroll. Social media’s amnesia works in favor of influencers who can just wait out the storm and rebrand.
Most of these creators are still around, still posting, still making money, because the internet always has room for a comeback story. The cycle continues, and by next year, today’s biggest scandals will probably feel just as distant as these ones do now.
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