A woman says that a resurfaced satirical post claiming she was rude to a Best Buy worker is causing her to receive a flood of online abuse. The man who originally created the post says it was stolen and reposted by a spam account.
Both suggest that TikTok hasn’t done anything to protect them.
Sophia Panella (@sophia.panella) says that in February 2024, @NotYourBuddy2 (@notyourbuddy2) stitched her post about having to return a frame television she purchased at Best Buy.
In the stitch, he claimed he works at Best Buy and saw her choose the television. Because frame TVs have particular requirements, he said he approached Panella to make sure it suited her needs.
“Before I could get the next word out, it was, ‘Eww, I have a boyfriend. Thank you, leave me alone,'” he said.
@NotYourBuddy2’s post was satirical. Panella wasn’t laughing, however. She says she got a bunch of online hate from people who assumed it truly happened.
According to @NotYourBuddy2, Panella’s sister eventually contacted him and threatened to sue. “So I took the video down,” he says.
Over a year later, it’s back. And so are the trolls.
Viral again
Six days ago, @fgmn26 reposted the TikTok about Panella and a Best Buy worker. People clearly do not realize that it’s satire. Top comments on it criticize her appearance and accuse her of being entitled.
“I’m so sorry…..for her boyfriend,” reads one of the tamer comments.
Another says, “Where’s her TikTok channel I would like to block her.”
Multiple comments disparaging her have several thousand likes.
Some have commented to point out that the post is satirical.
“THIS IS SATIRE!! DON’T GO AFTER HER!!!” one wrote.
Such comments have at most a couple of hundred likes as of this writing.
The TikTok about Panella being rude to a Best Buy worker has 630,000 views. Panella’s post about the online hate she says she’s getting in the wake of the video being reposted has 137,000 views. @NotYourBuddy2’s TikTok claiming his content was stolen and reposted has 39,000 views.
Content theft
According to @NotYourBuddy2, @fgmn26 steals his content. All of the posts on the latter account since June 25, the date of its first post, are @NotYourBuddy2’s originals.
After his satirical post about Panella being rude to a Best Buy worker resurfaced, NotYourBuddy2 posted a TikTok urging people to report @fgmn26.
He says that he believes @fgmn26’s goal was to reach 10,000 followers so they can get into the creator rewards program, commonly referred to as the creator fund, and sell the account. Through the program, accounts with over 10,000 followers get paid for engagement.
According to a screenshot he posted, @fgmn26 was just below this threshold. As of this writing, the account has 10,100 followers.
Whoever runs @fgmn26 did not immediately reply to a direct message seeking comment.
Who’s at fault?
Some people think that, as the original creator, @NotYourBuddy2 is the villain in the story.
“Shame on him,” reads a comment on Panella’s recent post. “As a creator he should know to not make up a story even if it’s a ‘joke’ as the internet will take it and RUN with it.”
@NotYourBuddy2 denies wrongdoing.
“I’m sorry you’re getting hate but it’s not me,” he writes in the caption of his recent TikTok.
He also insists he’s not behind the account.
“I’m sure the comments and DMs she’s getting are hurting her feelings, but she could just reach out to me if she has an issue,” he adds. “But instead she goes and cries on camera.”
@NotYourBuddy2 did not respond to a direct message sent Thursday morning.
Panella seems to think that both he and the reposter, whom she and others have referred to as a spam account, are to blame.
“I will never understand how people feel so comfortable bullying others online and sending [skull emoji] threats,” Panella captions her TikTok about the resurfaced Best Buy video. “This never happened and it’s a false, made-up story.”
As for @NotYourBuddy2, whom she tags in the post, she adds, “Hope you’re happy for doing this in the first place.”
Panella didn’t respond to a direct message seeking comment.
A few suggest that TikTok is at least partially to blame for failing to enforce its terms prohibiting online abuse and content theft.
Its community guidelines state, “We recognize that online content related to violence can cause real-world harm. We do not allow any violent threats, promotion of violence, incitement to violence, or promotion of criminal activities that may harm people, animals, or property.”
TikTok did not respond to an inquiry sent via the contact form on its website Thursday morning.
@sophia.panella I will never understand how people feel so comfortable bullying others online and sending ? threats. This never happened and it’s a false, made-up story. Hope you’re happy for doing this in the first place @NotYourBuddy2 ♬ original sound – SOPHIA PANELLA
@notyorbuddy2 @SOPHIA PANELLA please have your followers report @fgmn26 ♬ original sound – NotYourBuddy2
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