Beloved Montgomery, Ala.-based content creator Riziki Ilenre reportedly died by suicide on TikTok Live on Dec. 13, according to The Independent. The tragedy of a young Black woman’s life, full of promise, cut short is not only agonizing, but as the details of her final weeks emerge, sorrow gives way to visceral rage.
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Rizi was, according to TMZ, relentlessly cyber bullied –– not by the usual internet trolls, white supremacists or MAGA adherents, but by a shocking source: other Black women who reportedly targeted her with hateful comments.
Ilenre was open about her mental health struggles, but it is not clear if anyone outside of her family was aware of that. But regardless of who knew what and when, people were in the comment section of her videos writing offensive comments — some allegedly even encouraging her to take her own life.
Here’s the thing; Social media is not real life. Liking a post on TikTok or X doesn’t translate into liking the person behind the screen. Similarly, the vile comments people spew online are rarely — if ever — said to a person’s face in the real world. However, this distinction does not grant immunity. Online behavior matters, because the separation between the digital world and genuine human consequence is rapidly collapsing.
Harmful things said online can roll off the backs of some people. But for others it can cause anxiety, depression and suicidal ideations, according to the National Institutes of Health. This is particularly true if someone is already dealing with mental health issues, according to studies, as Rizzi allegedly was.
There are more than a few people talking about what they call “messy TikTok.” By this they mean individuals who use the social media platform to harass and poke fun at others. To put it bluntly, they are talking about people who get a kick out of cyberbullying.
“They should create more laws against cyber bullying. There are evil people on this app.” Said one commenter under a video that was posted discussing what happened this weekend.
“The mean girl energy in this app is crazy!,” said another.
We must work to protect Black kids because words have consequences. Not just from the threats from outside the community. But also from the dangers within.
Straight From 
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