Cancel Culture Impacting Public Relations

For agents and managers, 2020 and 2021 have been years of learning. From social justice movements to all forms of celebrity scandals. We continue to witness the roles and responsibilities that social media has on the public eye. As our society evolves, we must be extremely cautious about what we publish on social media.

Cancel culture is the act of publicly expressing dissatisfaction with a public figure or a company that has a large audience, which can lead to social pressure.

An example I’d like to use for cancel culture is TikTok. While many businesses and influencers have found TikTok to be useful for brand promotion, there is one part of TikTok that no one wants to be in. This is the portion of TikTok where tech-savvy teenagers share screenshots of tweets, videos, and more as proof as to why a person or company should be "canceled."

As some of you may know, it’s quite easy to have your videos go viral on TikTok. The app makes it easy for anyone to download the videos and be shared on any social media platform. TikTok also offers a feature that allows users to "duet" a video, which improves the likelihood that the content will be shared.

When an emergency situation arises, it is essential to have a crisis plan in place. The risk of being unprepared is too large in this day and age of cancel culture. Because the cancel culture is so prominent, people in the entertainment industry must maintain their online reputations through social media monitoring and crisis communication strategies.

This cultural evolution has brought new concerns in the field of public relations. The function of public relations practitioners, particularly those who work with prominent individuals, must constantly be in sync with social pressures to maintain their client’s reputation.

Bio: Michelle Liao is a Junior at California State University of Northridge studying Journalism with an emphasis in Public Relations. Her goal after graduating would be to work in the beauty or the sports industry managing their social media.