The mother of a teenage girl who tragically ended her life following online harassment has received harsh criticism for sharing videos from her daughter’s funeral.
The 16-year-old, known as Princess, passed away in February after enduring years of cyberbullying on the gossip site Tattle Life. She was targeted by users with hurtful comments about her physical appearance starting when she was just 14.
Sophie-may Dickson, an influencer and the mother of Princess, was initially the main target of the abuse, with over 10,000 posts about her and her family on the platform. However, after Ms. Dickson deactivated some of her social media accounts, the trolls shifted their focus to her teenage daughter.
Ms. Dickson posted images from Princess’s funeral, including a poignant moment where she was pictured in white leaning on her daughter’s coffin during the service held last week. Despite the heartfelt gesture, online trolls once again attacked the family, leaving cruel remarks on Ms. Dickson’s Instagram post.
In response to the bullies, Ms. Dickson defended her actions, explaining that she shared the personal photos not for attention but to commemorate a special moment with her daughter. She shared a photo and video of herself by Princess’s coffin with a heartfelt caption expressing her love and grief.
While some individuals showed support for the grieving mother, others made insensitive comments. Criticisms included accusations of seeking attention and disrespecting the deceased.
Ms. Dickson addressed the critical remarks on her Instagram story, emphasizing that the moment captured was a personal one with her daughter and that she chose to share it to preserve the memory. She also highlighted the emotional turmoil she experienced during the funeral.
Ms. Dickson has been in the public eye since 2014 when her family appeared on the show ‘Blinging up Baby,’ showcasing their lavish lifestyle. The family faced backlash for their lifestyle choices, including providing beauty treatments for their young daughters.
The online abuse directed at Ms. Dickson and Princess primarily occurred on the platform Tattle Life, where users freely criticized their lives and parenting decisions. The site, known for hosting derogatory content about public figures, became a hub for cyberbullying directed at Princess.
Despite efforts to address the online harassment to authorities, including reporting to the police, Ms. Dickson faced challenges in combating the relentless trolling. The abuse extended beyond online platforms, affecting Princess in real life and contributing to her tragic outcome.
Following Princess’s death, a group of Labour MPs urged regulatory intervention to address the harmful activities on Tattle Life. Concerns were raised about the persistent online harassment Princess faced and the impact it had on her mental health.
The tragic loss of Princess has sparked calls for stricter regulations on online platforms to protect vulnerable individuals, especially children, from cyberbullying and harassment. Organizations like Ofcom have been urged to take decisive action to prevent similar incidents in the future.
