TikTok Star Grace Wolstenholme Targeted by Death Hoax and Disability Misinformation
Social media influencer Grace Wolstenholme, known for her candid videos about living with cerebral palsy, found herself at the center of a disturbing online hoax that falsely declared her dead. The misinformation, spread through a TikTok video viewed over 650,000 times, not only caused distress to her followers but also highlighted the pervasive issue of disinformation on social media platforms. The 22-year-old content creator, who has amassed 1.3 million followers since 2021, urged users to be more vigilant and critical of the content they consume online.
The hoax originated from a TikTok account seemingly promoting pillows. This account illicitly used one of Wolstenholme’s popular videos, showing her falling during a gym session, and attached a fabricated caption claiming the user’s autistic sister had died and the pillow was purchased as a comfort object. The video’s emotional manipulation and exploitation of Wolstenholme’s content quickly gained traction, leading many to believe the false narrative. TikTok confirmed the video’s removal for violating community guidelines, but the damage was already done.
The incident’s impact on Wolstenholme was multifaceted. The widespread belief in her death led to a significant drop in followers and video views, directly impacting her income as a TikTok creator. The platform’s monetization system rewards popular creators based on engagement metrics, and the false narrative disrupted this income stream. Beyond the financial repercussions, the emotional toll was substantial. Wolstenholme described the distress caused by seeing comments from followers expressing condolences and grief over her supposed death. The hoax compounded by the fact she had been less active online due to illness, inadvertently lending credence to the rumors.
Further adding to the ordeal was the perpetrator’s misrepresentation of Wolstenholme’s disability. The false caption identified her as autistic, rather than having cerebral palsy, further fueling the spread of misinformation. Wolstenholme expressed frustration at this inaccuracy, emphasizing the importance of accurate representation and understanding of disabilities. While TikTok removed the initial video after being contacted by Wolstenholme, the user reposted it and sent her offensive messages, highlighting the challenges in combating online harassment and the persistence of malicious actors.
The incident underscores the broader problem of disinformation on social media. The rapid spread of the hoax, fueled by emotional manipulation and a lack of critical evaluation by some users, demonstrates the vulnerability of online communities to misinformation. The emotional distress caused to Wolstenholme and her followers highlights the real-world consequences of such online activities. The incident also raises questions about the effectiveness of platform policies in preventing and addressing the spread of harmful content.
The perpetrator’s actions extended beyond the initial hoax video. A second video mocking Wolstenholme’s disability was posted by the same account, further demonstrating a pattern of targeted harassment. The associated TikTok and Instagram accounts, along with a linked website, were subsequently deactivated. The website, which purported to sell pillows, raised further red flags with a non-existent company registration and a fraudulent VAT number. Attempts by the BBC to contact the individual behind the accounts proved unsuccessful. Wolstenholme has reported the harassment to the Metropolitan Police, who are currently investigating the matter. This case emphasizes the need for increased vigilance and media literacy among social media users, and stronger platform accountability in combating disinformation and online harassment. It serves as a stark reminder of the potential for online platforms to be misused for malicious purposes and the very real impact such actions can have on individuals and communities.