Social media has caused so many creators to be “exposed” and “cancelled”. With this comes a lot of apologies issued by internet celebrities. However, when are these apologies sincere and when should we forgive?

Forgiveness is, in my eyes, subjective. Whether or not you forgive someone is your choice. If someone does something that hurts you, and their apology feels disingenuous, then you have a right to not accept their apology. This is what is hard about social media influencers’ apologies. The influencers’ audience might forgive them for a racist comment they make, but others might still not trust that individual. Even in real life, you can choose to forgive someone either because their apology is genuine or maybe words can solve this problem they’ve created.

However, settling something simply because “they’ve apologized” is not okay. If someone feels offended by a comment or action, their feelings are valid. Recently, tiktoker “Emmuluh” got called out for using the n-word and has since apologized. However, shutting down someone simply because they are still hurt over what has been said is not right. They have a right to be mad or upset.

The other issue is the backlash Emma got after. Many people sent her death threats and hate comments. Sending death threats to anyone, ever, is not okay or justified. Threatening someone’s life or even joking about it raises red flags to many authorities and psychological experts. The idea of hating someone so much to threaten their life can be scary even to those who the hate isn’t directed to. You don’t have to forgive someone, but moving on is important. You have two options: forgiving and forgetting. Forgetting is best if you can’t accept someone’s apology. It is in fact, best for you. By moving on, you can continue to live your life without toxicity.