Although controversy is nothing new to DJ Akademiks, his latest comments about 15-year-old streamer NourGXD https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/dj-akademiks-owns-sexual-remarks-150706751.html on a January 23 Twitch stream have sparked one of the most public outcries in his career. Social media has been rife with outrage over the event, which involved Akademiks making inappropriate sexual remarks toward the kid. In an effort to place the responsibility elsewhere, Akademiks responded by defending himself on his own Twitch channel and characterizing the criticism as exaggerated trolling.
Akademiks' Defense: “You Can’t Cancel What You Didn’t Build”
Akademiks downplayed the criticism in his Twitch stream about the topic, referring to his comments as "lil bro talk" and accusing critics of being too sensitive. "How do we cancel Ak?" he said defiantly. Pause, I'm still the biggest. You can’t cancel what you didn’t build.”
In an effort to divert attention, he also accused NourGXD's mentor Plaqueboymax of previously exposing the adolescent to offensive material. Akademiks claims that Max ought to be investigated for allegedly permitting an OnlyFans model to communicate with Nour while the latter was just 14 years old.
Twitter Reacts: Ak Under Fire
Twitter was quickly inundated with clips of Akademiks' remarks, which infuriated both fans and detractors. Many commenters made analogies to Drake, a rapper Akademiks frequently looks up to and who has previously been accused of grooming. The outcry was heightened by these similarities, and many people demanded that platforms hold Akademiks responsible.
Questions concerning the limits of trolling and humor in online encounters were also brought up by the debate. Regardless of Akademiks' intentions, others contended that his comments went too far, particularly in light of Nour's obvious uneasiness during the stream. See our post on protecting children online to find out more about how online interactions affect young viewers.
Akademiks Doubles Down
Akademiks responded defiantly in spite of the commotion. He dismissed the accusations as a smear campaign planned by "jaded Kendrick fans," as he put it. He minimized the gravity of his comments throughout his stream, claiming that his exchanges with Nour were innocuous and consistent with his characteristic bravado.
However, many who think that Akademiks' actions—such as offering to bring strippers to Nour's house—are a sign of a bigger issue in the content creation sector have sharply criticized the company. Read our research on content moderation to learn how sites like Twitch are dealing with these problems.
The Need for Accountability
The absence of defined boundaries and accountability when creators engage with kids is a larger problem in the influencer arena that is brought to light by this occurrence. Although Akademiks portrays his comments as trolling, it is obvious from the crowd and context that such behavior is unacceptable.
See our examination of grooming claims in the creator economy for a more thorough look at the difficulties of holding influencers responsible.
Participate in the Discussion
How do you feel about Akademiks' answer? Should content producers be held to a higher standard, or is this an instance of trolling gone too far? Please leave a comment below with your opinions, and for additional information, see our guide on safeguarding children in online groups.
For the most recent information about influencer accountability and digital culture, sign up for our newsletter.
Comentários