It’s a tale as old as time. An influencer is catapulted into public consciousness, capturing the hearts of millions across social media. They seem relatable, down to earth, and surely not another racist. But, just like the influencers before them, it’s eventually exposed that they are, and an apology is delivered via Apple’s Notes app.
The origins of this method of apology date back as early as 2015. Filled with buzzwords like “accountability,” “responsibility,” and “growth,” the technique became a tool for celebrities and influencers to engage in performative sincerity in exchange for forgiveness from their audience.
By quickly typing 250 words into their Notes app and posting a screenshot to their Instagram story, they effortlessly absolve themselves of even the most nefarious behaviour and the guilty influencer goes back to their regularly scheduled posting of get-ready-with–me’s, days in their lives, and their “Sunday resets.”
A relevant example is Trisha Paytas, a popular American media personality. There is no end to the videos depicting her spewing bigotry and racism. However, she is now even more popular than ever, with over two million followers on her Instagram alone. James Charles, another popular social media influencer, posted multiple now-deleted problematic — if not blatantly racist — tweets. But since resurfacing into the public consciousness, he — like Trisha — now seemingly enjoys more popularity than ever before.
The curious case of Brooke Schofield
A most recent case study of this ‘Notes-app apology’ phenomenon is Brooke Schofield, a 28-year-old influencer who recently rose to fame from her Cancelled podcast with internet personality Tana Mongeau. Between 2012 and 2015, she published several racist tweets on X — including one defending the killing of Trayvon Martin — all of which have since been deleted.
This was seen before with many other influencers and celebrities; think Jeffree Star, James Charles, and Sabrina Claudio. The typical brigade of fans rallied to Schofield’s defence, citing her youth as an excuse. One commenter, when discussing Schoffield’s old tweets, stated that the tweets were “literally from 2013 y’all are fuckin’ annoying.”
In contrast to Schofield’s young age at the time, it is important to note that people of colour (POC) have often endured bigotry for years by their teenage years and bear the weight of its effects. Experiences of prejudice infiltrate the daily lives of POC as they navigate systemic discrimination, racial profiling, and the unspoken rules of code-switching.
Additionally, a two-part study published in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications journal found that experiences of explicit racism, such as “racial slurs, threats, and acts of racial brutality” showed links to externalizing symptoms such as aggression, impulsivity, defiance, and increased anger. In contrast, subtler forms of racism, like “being stared at by strangers” or their “ideas or opinions being minimized, ignored, or devalued,” showed links to greater levels of depression.
In the social media ecosystem, such prejudice becomes so organically ingrained that POC youth begin to see it as natural — just another part of life — and an unavoidable reality rather than something to be challenged.
In Schofield’s case, the culture of brushing over racist histories failed to perpetuate itself entirely. Many creators — specifically Black TikTokers like @asinderellastory and @ry2ky — expressed frustration towards Schofield and others who faced similar racial controversy. Their concerns lay in the exhausting and endlessly recurring cycle on social media, on which we platform influencers, watch problematic posts resurface, and sit through the same recycled half-hearted apology.
Despite the temptation, blame cannot be solely placed on these influencers. Social media platforms also play a large role in amplifying the voices of individuals with bigoted pasts. For example, shortly after Elon Musk took over X, the use of slurs on the app increased from ranges of 23–67 per cent.
Additionally, public figures such as Andrew Tate, who had their X accounts removed due to controversial tweets have had those accounts reinstated in recent years. Scandals no longer carry the sacrilegious weight they once did in influencer and celebrity roles; their consequences now tend to be minimal and short-lived.
With Schofield back in the limelight, her controversies are no longer a focus. James, Jeffree, and Trisha are all thriving across every major social media platform, each boasting millions of subscribers. Brands still work with them, and PR packages continue to flow. With every post, they seem to only gain more engagement, their influence growing stronger on whichever platform they dominate. We require a fundamental shift in how we educate youth about race and address the issues faced by those impacted by such bigotry. A Notes app apology is just not enough.
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