There are so many unbelievable things in life, but one of them would have to be house hunting, opening Instagram to scroll through much later, and then finding that your every movement was recorded, posted, and had garnered lots of likes and comments.
Today's Original Poster (OP) and her husband were simply trying to find a new home. Instead, they found themselves at the center of an internet frenzy when their house tour was caught on camera by a security camera, and the footage was posted online by the owner of the house who happened to be an influencer.
More info: Reddit
One minute you're touring a potential new house, next minute you're all over Instagram
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The author and her husband were on the search for a new home, and they found one they liked which needed a few improvements
Image credits: GoldenPusheen
Image credits: priosoad / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Days after their search, they saw a video of themselves posted by the owner of the house who happened to be an influencer
Image credits: GoldenPusheen
Image credits: Gustavo Fring / Freepik (not the actual photo)
In the video, the influencer made it seem as though the couple were very critical of the house and called them out for being "mean and nasty"
Image credits: GoldenPusheen
When the husband called for a cease and desist against the influencers, trolls began to bombard their social media pages
The OP and her husband were on a hunt for a home they could renovate. They toured a house that seemed promising, except there were quite a number of things that needed to be changed, which is pretty standard behavior when house hunting. However, for the price, it was something they were interested in pursuing.
Unbeknownst to them, the home owner was a social media influencer, and here comes the kicker. She took footage from her home security system, edited it to make the couple seem overly critical, and posted it online. The influencer accused them of being “mean and nasty people,” claiming she would never sell to them. Worse, the video clearly showed their faces.
Determined not to let the situation spiral further, the husband, a lawyer, drafted a cease-and-desist letter demanding the influencer remove the video or face legal consequences. The OP and her husband soon found themselves bombarded with online harassment. The influencer’s followers began targeting them and their businesses, leaving negative comments on the OP's company webpage and her husband's law firm’s social media accounts.
Now, they’re prepared to take legal action; however, with their reputations under siege, the OP and her husband decided to put their house hunt on hold. While their realtor is mortified by the situation, the damage has already been done. Their friends advised them to ignore the drama and wait for it to blow over, but they can't let it slide.
Image credits: Yan Krukau / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Cyberbullying, as defined by Choosing Therapy, happens when harassment, ridicule, or bullying takes place online, often through social media. It includes spreading false or harmful content to damage someone’s reputation. A major aspect of it is also privacy invasion, such as secretly recording or photographing someone in a private setting.
Similarly, Skeepers emphasizes that the influencer marketing space is usually a bit more tricky, especially when posting different content is involved. They explain that it requires proper permissions when using intellectual property, including images and personal data. According to them, posting content without consent isn’t just a privacy violation, it can also fuel harassment.
Beyond social media, privacy concerns extend to real estate transactions. Discover NC Homes points out that while video surveillance may be legal, recording audio without consent often isn’t.
They advise sellers against recording conversations, as many laws prohibit eavesdropping through electronic devices. At the same time, buyers should assume they are being recorded, even in outdoor areas with doorbell cameras.
Netizens urged the OP and her husband to take legal action against the influencer as they believe that influencers should be held accountable for their actions. The general consensus was that the couple should not back down, with some encouraging more severe legal steps, like suing the homeowner, realtor, influencer, and even the platform.
What do you think about this situation? Do you think influencers should be held legally responsible for content that harms others? We would love to hear your thoughts!
Netizens insist the author and her husband show no mercy to the influencer, pointing out that what she did was criminal
