Key facts
- Perez Hilton livestreamed self-harm on TikTok on Tuesday night.
- Local authorities responded to his Miami home and he was transported to a hospital.
- Social media users criticized TikTok for the duration of the livestream.
- TikTok stated its automated systems flagged the content within minutes and it was referred to human moderators.
- TikTok removed subsequent livestreams quickly and banned Hilton's account.
- Hilton's team and family confirmed he is receiving medical care and asked for privacy.
Social media users have criticized TikTok after celebrity blogger Perez Hilton livestreamed himself engaging in self-harm on the platform Tuesday night. The broadcast prompted concerns about how long it remained live and led to discussions about content moderation and mental health support.
During the livestream, viewers pleaded for Hilton, 48, to stop as he engaged in self-harm. Local authorities responded to his home in Miami, Florida, and he was subsequently transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
Following the incident, users like Gina Luciano and Dana Bowling on Instagram criticized TikTok, with Luciano calling the platform's allowance of the livestream 'disgusting and disturbing' and Bowling questioning the possibility of a class-action lawsuit for exposing users to trauma.
While some users claimed the livestream lasted over 30 minutes, a TikTok US spokesperson disputed this, stating the broadcast was approximately half that length. The spokesperson added that TikTok's automated moderation systems flagged the livestream within minutes, referring it to the US moderation team. Several subsequent livestreams were removed within 90 seconds, and Hilton's account was banned. TikTok also alerted local law enforcement, noting the livestream violated community guidelines against depicting or promoting suicide or self-harm.
Despite TikTok's actions, screen recordings of the footage have circulated on platforms like X and Instagram. Users have advised others to disable video autoplay and mute mentions of Hilton to avoid encountering the content. Many users also expressed concern directly on Hilton's Instagram posts.
On Wednesday afternoon, Hilton's team and family released a statement confirming he is receiving medical care and expressing gratitude for the support received. They requested privacy during this difficult time.
Perez Hilton, whose real name is Mario Lavandeira, gained fame in the early 2000s with his celebrity gossip blog, PerezHilton.com. He has since reflected on his past work, expressing regrets about being 'mean or cruel.' Earlier this year, Hilton underwent emergency surgery for deep vein thrombosis after a hospitalization for sepsis, an experience he described as overwhelming and leading him to reflect on his faith.