Meta has confirmed that the Instagram account of internet personality Lil Tay was hacked last week, leading to the circulation of false claims about her death.
TMZ reported that a representative from Meta confirmed they had assisted the 14-year-old in recovering her account from the hacker. A post, which has since been deleted, falsely claimed that both Lil Tay and her brother had passed away.
Suspicions about the veracity of the claims were raised when Lil Tay’s father did not confirm the supposed passing when contacted by Insider for comment.
Adding to the confusion, Lil Tay’s former manager, Harry Tsang, initially confirmed her death to The Hollywood Reporter, but later retracted his statement. He disclosed that he had been “in communication with individuals who have an intimate understanding of the family’s situation.”
After a distressing 24-hour period, Lil Tay came forward to affirm that she and her brother were safe and alive.
She told TMZ in a statement, “I want to make it clear that my brother and I are safe and alive, but I’m completely heartbroken, and struggling to even find the right words to say. It’s been a very traumatizing 24 hours. All day yesterday, I was bombarded with endless heartbreaking and tearful phone calls from loved ones all while trying to sort out this mess.”
KTLA 5 has reached out to Meta for a statement about the hacking incident and is currently awaiting a response.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential vulnerabilities in online platforms and the potential emotional distress that can be caused by such malicious activities. It highlights the need for robust cybersecurity measures and user education to prevent such occurrences.