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A 16-year-old queer artist from Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, reportedly took their own life after receiving numerous hate comments on an Instagram reel they posted, as asserted by an actor.
Pranshu, a 16-year-old self-taught queer artist from Ujjain, showcased their skills as a makeup artist on an Instagram account dedicated to makeup and beauty content. On Diwali, the teenager posted a transition reel on Instagram, featuring them in a saree.
Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju, an actor from the ‘Made In Heaven’ web series, alleged that the artist’s comment section was inundated with more than 4,000 homophobic remarks, which contributed to their decision to take their own life. The artist had a following of over 16,500 on their Instagram account, glamitupwithpranshu.
Actor Trinetra asserted that online platforms, including Instagram, owned by Meta, have consistently fallen short in offering a secure environment for individuals from the LGBTQ community. Trinetra also stated that the hashtag #JusticeForPranshu has no posts because some content violates community guidelines.
Numerous members of the LGBTQ community expressed sorrow and criticized platforms such as Instagram, X, and Facebook for their inadequacy in addressing cyberbullying.
According to KS Gehlot, the in-charge of Nagjhiri police station, the exact reason behind the suicide is still under investigation, as reported by the Free Press Journal.
Former Meta executive Arthur Bejar, who left the organization in 2021, asserted that Instagram is “fundamentally misleading” the public regarding the safety of its platform for teenagers. Bejar testified before US Senators, stating that Instagram is “categorically not” suitable for children as young as 13.
I personally witnessed their disregard for what could be deemed statistically significant research, indicating that millions of teenagers faced safety concerns while utilizing Meta’s apps, he stated.
