Like vultures hovering over a corpse, influencers have been blasted for using the LA wildfires to fill their pockets, and garner that all-important 'clout.'
Videos by Wide Open Country
As the fire services continue to struggle against the seemingly unstoppable firestorm, for some, it's just an opportunity to pull in more likes. Water shortages, blocked roads, and limited resources are making the struggle against the flames tough. But, for some influencers, the wildfires are another photo op.
Thousands have been evacuated from their homes, with many likely returning to nothing but uninsured rubble. The devastation left by the wildfires is going to be catastrophic and will leave California on its knees for generations. However, this, for some, is just an excuse to pick up a few more likes.
Many influencers have been slammed for getting behind evacuation lines, just to snap a few pictures of themselves amid the wildfires. Images are emerging of them smiling and joking around in front of buildings, containing people's entire lives, reduced to nothing but ash.
Influencers Showing No Respect Or Safety Amid Wildfires
Of course, currently, the wildfires are trending on every platform. People are desperate to see how LA is faring under the firestorm. The morbid fascination will continue to pull people in until it is all over. It is this that the influencers are capitalizing on.
However, the response is not, perhaps, what they were hoping for. Many people online are speaking out about just how careless, and insensitive, it is to be not only making the work of the firefighters harder but also ignoring the loss people have suffered.
"The number of influencers I've seen standing in front of burning homes in Pacific Palisades taking videos and selfies is actually disgusting." one commenter on X notes. Another speaks about how TikTik influencers are making the most out of the wildfires. "Tiktokers making videos in front of the wildfire. Influencers are the fucking worst."
The problem is not so much their safety. The world wouldn't miss a few burnt influencers. It is the level of disrespect for the people who have lost their homes, and the tireless efforts of firefighters. They have enough to deal with without having to pry melted phones from fingers of slow-roasted TikTok sensations.
