10 Times Internet Fame RUINED Lives

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at 10 Times Internet Fame Ruined People’s Lives

For this list, we’ll be looking at people whose viral presence on the internet resulted in unforeseen consequences. These people could have had a long-time internet following or had just their fifteen minutes of fame.

Do you remember when these people were big news? Let us know in the comments below!

Lindsey Stone

Back in 2012, Lindsey Stone ticked off the internet when she posted a particularly contentious photo on Facebook. It shows Stone at the Arlington National Cemetery standing in front of a sign that reads “Silence and Respect.” But next to the sign is Stone, seemingly shouting and raising the middle finger. The photo was meant as a private joke between Stone and her friend, as they would take pictures of themselves comically opposing authoritarian signs. People either took the photo seriously or found the joke in bad taste. Either way, Stone received death threats and was even fired from her job. She also found it difficult to find a new one, as prospective employers would Google her name and find the controversy.

Lil Tay

A young Instagram star, Lil Tay found internet clout by showing off her supposed wealth. She would flaunt wads of cash at the camera and ride in luxury cars, all while spouting hateful language. However, everything came to a stop in 2018. One video showed her brother, Jason Tian, telling her what to say, and it was revealed that the luxury cars she rode in actually belonged to her mother’s boss. Her mother was fired for the infraction. Her father then claimed that he “took legal steps to stop things which [he] felt were dangerous to her physical and mental health.” As a result, Lil Tay’s Instagram content was deleted, and she has remained quiet on social media ever since.

Star Wars Kid

Get ready to be hit with some major nostalgia. Back in 2002, 15-year-old Ghyslain Raza filmed a video in which he imitated Darth Maul from “The Phantom Menace.” Raza used a golf ball retriever to mimic Maul’s lightsaber, and the tape was found by a schoolmate and uploaded to the internet. Raza became an early viral sensation and was quickly labeled Star Wars Kid. Unfortunately, the video forced Raza to endure incredible torment. He was viciously bullied both in person and online, and the constant mistreatment caused him to leave school. Raza’s parents even launched a lawsuit against some of his schoolmates, claiming that he was “under psychiatric care” owing to their abuse. They reached an out-of-court settlement.

Nicole Crowther

“Glee” was the hottest show on television in the early 2010s, and Nicole Crowther ruined it for a lot of people. Crowther had been an extra on “Glee” and knew other people who worked on the show, which gave her firsthand access to secret story beats. She tweeted a major spoiler about the end of season two, revealing that Prom King and Queen were Karofsky and Kurt. The spoiler generated a fierce backlash, with even “Glee” creator Brad Falchuk angrily commenting on the tweet. Crowther was fired from the show and later told Syfy that she sought therapy from the negative attention. She is no longer in the entertainment industry and lives a private life away from social media.

Justine Sacco

Twitter backlash hit Justine Sacco hard. Sacco worked as head of corporate communications for InterActive Corp and was flying to Africa on the morning of December 20, 2013. Shortly before boarding, Sacco made an offensive and racist tweet regarding Africa and AIDS. The tweet went viral while Sacco was on the plane. She landed in South Africa and realized with horror that she had become the internet’s public enemy number one. Sacco immediately deleted her Twitter account but was ultimately fired from InterActive Corp, who claimed that she had made “hateful statements.” She later found work with FanDuel and Match Group.

Alex from Target

One day you’re working your regular job at a Texas Target. The next: you’re on “Ellen” in front of millions of people. And all because someone found you attractive. That’s what happened to Alex from Target, real name Alex LaBeouf. A photo of Alex was discreetly snapped by a customer while he was working the cash at Target. The tweet blew up, and the employee found himself the subject of a small fandom. People constantly visited Alex at work and asked to take their own pictures. His personal number was also leaked, resulting in thousands of messages that broke his phone. While he admitted to J-14 that “the beginning was wonderful,” he also claimed that “the business aspects…ruined it for [him].”

Heidi Yeh

Taiwanese model Heidi Yeh posed for an advertisement for a cosmetic surgery clinic, but the picture was stolen by the internet and turned into a meme. Yeh claims that the meme ruined both her personal and professional life. She told the BBC that she quickly became the target of harmful rumors and gossip, both of which caused her boyfriend to break up with her. She also claims that the experience ruined modeling for her and that she would often break down crying from the stress. As for her professional life, Yeh lost about $150,000 in earnings, as the resulting backlash lost her contracts. She in turn sued both the clinic and the advertising agency for damages.

Damien Leonhardt

When they were 11 years old, this YouTuber went by the names Jessi Slaughter and Kerligirl13, and they became the subject of an intense harassment campaign. Leonhardt uploaded an angry video to YouTube which captured the attention of some 4chan users. They tracked down Leonhardt, discovering their real name, home address, and phone number. Leonhardt’s father then appeared in a follow-up video, which saw him threatening the 4chan users and claiming that they have “been reported to the cyberpolice.” Of course, this only spurred them on even more and the video became a meme. Leonhardt received death threats and constant online harassment, forcing them to seek both counseling and police protection.

Ken Bone

It was the 2016 Presidential election, and it was time for a debate between nominees Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. A man named Ken Bone was called upon, and he proceeded to ask a question about energy policies. For some reason, Bone captured the imagination of the internet and was quickly memed. However, Bone decided to conduct a Reddit AMA, and it would prove his undoing. Reddit users searched his comment history and saw some rather unflattering remarks about Jennifer Lawrence and Trayvon Martin. He also sparked controversy by replying to a tweet made by Parkland shooting survivor Kyle Kashuv. The reply was a picture of his son shooting a rifle, and said photo got him suspended from school.

Rebecca Black

The sounds of “Friday” are enough to transport anyone back to 2011. The song went viral in March of that year and received an unbelievable amount of public vitriol. The backlash hurt Black both personally and professionally. She had a falling out with ARK Music Factory, and the hopes she harbored of a potential career in music were dashed. She was also the target of a seemingly endless harassment campaign and was forced to leave public school. But Black soldiered through the pain and released a ton of music throughout the years. Her debut album was released in 2023 and titled “Let Her Burn,” which may be an indictment on the treatment she received throughout the early 2010s.