Crying out loud: the rise of emotional outbursts online
Crying online started as a backlash to a curated ‘perfect’ social media life, but reactions have differed wildly from supportive to censure for an act seen as inappropriate and manipulative
In September 2007, 19-year-old YouTuber Cara Cunningham – then known as Chris Crocker – published a YouTube video that went viral for all the wrong reasons. The clip was an impassioned cry for empathy towards Crocker’s idol Britney Spears, who was caught in a tabloid frenzy during a mental health crisis. At one point, Crocker cried out: “She’s a human! Leave Britney alone!”. A screengrab of the blonde-haired Crocker crying became a meme, and the ...
