A social media influencer has drawn criticism online after telling a fan she would have to pay to post a picture with her. The incident was shared on TikTok by user Caraline Catlett, who recently moved to California.
Catlett described approaching an influencer she admired while out in public. According to Catlett, the influencer was initially "standoffish" but eventually engaged in conversation. When Catlett asked for advice on growing her own following, the influencer reportedly stated, "I'm attractive. People follow me because I'm attractive."
Catlett then asked to take a photo with the influencer. The response, as recounted by Catlett, was: "If I take a picture with you, you can't post it without paying me. I don't let people capitalize off my face or grow off my face. There's not enough room in this industry for everyone."
Catlett, who has 179,000 followers on TikTok, expressed her frustration, stating she was now motivated to surpass the influencer's follower count out of spite. She concluded her video by saying, "The entitlement from these influencers needs to be talked about." Catlett added that while the interaction was negative, she would not reveal the influencer's identity to prevent online harassment.
The TikTok video has garnered millions of views, with many users expressing support for Catlett. Other creators, like Emilie Kiser and Haley Kalil, commented that such behavior is not typical within the influencer community and affirmed that there is ample space for creators to succeed.