Criticism has emerged on social media directed at TikTok following a distressing incident involving celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, who livestreamed an act of self-harm on the platform. This led many users to question the duration of the broadcast and prompted others to share mental health resources and encourage those in distress to seek assistance.
On Tuesday night, the 48-year-old Hilton was seen on a livestream engaging in self-harm while viewers urged him to stop. Shortly thereafter, local authorities were dispatched to his residence in Miami, Florida, where he was subsequently taken to a hospital for medical care.
In the wake of this event, various social media users and influencers voiced their disapproval of TikTok for permitting the livestream to continue. Instagram user Gina Luciano expressed her outrage, stating, “It’s appalling and disturbing that TikTok allowed that livestream to persist for so long. It illustrates how that platform fosters bullying.”
Luciano further emphasized, “Avoid watching that video or any clips from that livestream. It’s not entertainment; it’s a desperate plea for help.”
Another Instagram user, Dana Bowling, questioned whether a class action lawsuit could be filed against TikTok for exposing individuals to such traumatic content, asserting, “No one should accept this.”
While some users claimed that the livestream lasted over 30 minutes, a spokesperson for TikTok in the U.S. contested this, stating that the broadcast was around 15 minutes long. The spokesperson noted that TikTok’s automated moderation flagged the livestream within minutes, sending it to the U.S. moderation team for evaluation.
Additionally, several follow-up livestreams were taken down within 90 seconds, and Hilton’s account was eventually banned, according to the spokesperson. The company also communicated with local law enforcement and confirmed that the livestream breached its community guidelines, which prohibit content that depicts or promotes self-harm or suicide.
Despite TikTok removing the livestream, recordings of the event have circulated widely on other social media platforms, including X and Instagram. This has led users to advise others to disable video autoplay and mute mentions of Hilton’s name. One user on Bluesky warned, “Assume every trending topic link with his name will lead you to the video. Don’t click it. The video is everywhere. It’s best to turn off video autoplay in settings and mute ‘Perez Hilton.’”
Another user echoed this sentiment, urging, “PLEASE mute ‘Perez Hilton’ if images of self-harm or a person in crisis are distressing for you. Please.”
In addition, many users have encouraged those facing mental health challenges to seek help. TV personality and influencer Tefi Pessoa shared on her Instagram story, “If Perez Hilton’s livestream triggered you, please call 988. There is support available, I promise. You are loved.”
The Guardian attempted to contact X for a statement, while Meta chose not to comment.
Numerous users also expressed their concern directly on Hilton’s Instagram posts. One commented, “Many people are worried about you. Please take care of yourself, Perez. Know that you are loved.” Another added, “I hope you are stable and doing well now; that video has us all worried. Please heal.”
On Wednesday afternoon, Hilton’s family and team released a statement affirming that he is receiving medical treatment. “Many of you have reached out with concern for Perez, and we are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of love, support, and prayers. We can confirm that Perez is receiving medical care, and our family’s priority is his well-being. We kindly ask for privacy during this challenging time,” the statement read.
“If and when we have updates to share, we will do so as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding and continued support,” it concluded.
Perez Hilton, whose real name is Mario Lavandeira, gained prominence in the early 2000s through his celebrity gossip blog, PerezHilton.com, which was known for its sharp commentary and has often been criticized as a form of online bullying.
Born in Miami to Cuban parents, Hilton graduated from New York University and has held various roles, including a brief acting career and work as a publicist, before achieving success as a celebrity blogger, inspired by Paris Hilton.
By 2007, the New York Times reported that Hilton was dedicating 17 hours a day to publish an average of 30 blog posts daily. At that time, his website charged $9,000 weekly for advertisements, with the most expensive packages reaching up to $45,000.
In a 2014 interview with the Guardian, Hilton described his style as “sassy without being nasty.”
In his 2021 memoir, he reflected on his past work, admitting, “I have many regrets, especially since I now realize that I didn’t need to be so mean or cruel.”
Earlier this year, Hilton disclosed that he underwent “emergency surgery” for deep vein thrombosis after doctors identified the condition following a three-week hospitalization due to sepsis. Reflecting on this experience, he stated that he felt a divine presence, adding, “I’ve been crying happy tears because this is just so overwhelming in the best way.”
If you or someone you know is struggling, you can contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the U.S. at 988 or visit 988lifeline.org. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be reached at 116 123, and in Australia, Lifeline offers support at 13 11 14. Additional international helplines can be found at befrienders.org.
