Love Island star Amy Hart has revealed that she’s been sent vile messages of abuse from nasty online trolls – including death threats from a 13-year-old.
The 29-year-old influencer recalled the horrific abuse that she regularly receives online whilst appearing in front of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Tuesday (14 September).
The former air-stewardess was invited to speak during the DCMS committee’s inquiry into influencer culture which was held in the House of Commons.
She appeared alongside Nicole Ocran, a blogger and co-founder of the digital creator union, The Creator Union.
She told the MPs that social media users should have to verify their identities online.
(Image: PA)
She said: “Everyone’s got a national insurance number,
“And if you’re under 16 and don’t have one, then your parents should have to put theirs, because one of my death threats was traced back to a 13-year-old.
“You think, if that’s what they’re doing at 13 in their bedroom at their mum and dad’s house, what are they going to do when they’re 18 and they’re out on their own?”
She also insisted that she’d been abused online by nurses and people who have husbands and children.
She said: “I was being trolled by nurses and people that have got husbands and children. I think, do you go to dinner parties and tell your friends that you’re trolling random 29-year-old girls that you don’t know? Are you proud? I don’t understand it.”
(Image: parliamentlive.tv)
Later in the hearing, Amy proceeded to get out her phone and read out one comment in particular which she had screenshotted as an example of the types of messages she gets.
In the message, sent from a user who was kept anonymous at the meeting, Amy was called a variety of terrible names such as a “psycho”, with the online user even bringing her boyfriend into the equation.
The comment ripped into her appearance on multiple occasions, slamming her “fake boobs”, “fake personality” and “fake veneers”.
The message read: “Your new fella will need therapy to deal with you and your neediness. I hope he runs to the hills, he needs to get gone.
“Poor guy dealing with your [bleep]. Fake teeth, fake boobs, fake personality. He deserves to know what a psycho you are.
“You’re bat-sh** crazy and a loose cannon, make sure this idiot gets gone. The state of this [beep]”
“Get her peroxide, fake veneers gone, she’s a fake-ass [beep] and she needs to get gone.
(Image: ITV)
Dirty [beep], [beep] yourself off, get some respect you dirty [beep].
“Look at the state of you. Absolute waste of organs. Stop plugging you silly fake [beep]. You look plastic, fake as [beep].”
Amy explained that she has stopped reporting these abusive comments to social media companies as she doesn’t believe they will do anything about them.
She also told the inquiry that she didn’t believe social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram were supportive when it came to online trolls.
Amy said: “I am desensitised but I would say that the (social media) networks are not supportive enough when it comes to trolling.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
