In September 2021, Rollingstone.com published a vilifying piece about TikTok influencer Ethan Keiser, accusing him of deliberately targeting strippers on TikTok and being responsible for the harassment they faced thereafter. A month later, Business Insider hastened to join the bandwagon, including details and alleged testimonials to add further fuel to the fire. Meanwhile, a devastated Keiser watched as his professional and personal life was brought into peril by what seemed like a classic media defamation- all while being given no opportunity to clear his name or tell his side of the story.
The stature of the publications made the situation even more disappointing; one would expect such salacity from a tabloid or Youtube drama channel, but the fact that these websites are widely lauded for their credible, ethical reporting made things even worse for Keiser. The allegations were as follows: Ethan had been ‘snitching’ about TikTok strippers not paying their taxes, and was encouraging his followers to report them to the IRS. The story was carefully crafted to display Ethan in the most malicious light possible- like some high-profile online bully, preying on the hard-earned savings of other artists using his platform.
And yet, the actual truth was starkly different. For people who have been following Keiser on TikTok, they are familiar with the kind of content he creates, his style, and unique approach to humor and social critique. As he describes himself, his niche on TikTok is a mix between social engineering, humor, and technology. He has created a number of new technologies which serve to demonstrate flaws in society, social structures and various norms and beliefs. His most popular app, Parallel Live, allows users to simulate a Live Stream with tens of thousands of viewers, which he wittingly used to capitalize on common “fame perks” like skipping lines at restaurants or clubs, proof positive about how fame changes your life. In this way, a big part of Keiser’s social commentary is meant to be both sardonically humorous, and revealing, which he has touted as ‘Big brain humor’.
It is abundantly clear that the websites targeting Ethan completely missed the mark and failed to create a well-researched, unbiased article- a mistake he has to bear the full brunt of. It seems that they interpreted Keiser’s content at face value and failed to take away the underlying message. The entire IRS debacle was misconstrued as harassment, when Keiser repeatedly mentioned that it was meant to be a joke and that he did not, in fact, report people to the IRS. His motive was, as always, to educate- in this case warning people about the dangers of posting their money on the internet as a 1099 employee. Parallel Live is another example of how people viewed his content as a superficial grab for attention and fame, just a ploy to skip lines at restaurants. In reality, Ethan created the app to showcase how, in this day and age, clout is the new currency, and people will change how they treat you based on how famous you are.
Keiser is currently in the process of initiating a legal battle against this defamation, and he hopes that those who follow him and understand the true nature and purpose behind his content will support him as he strives to get the real truth out.
You can browse and watch Keiser’s content on TikTok.
