Up until recently, romantic attention from strangers was a problem typically reserved for traditional celebrities — actors and musicians who’d spent entire careers gaining mainstream recognition. The worst a regular person might experience was an unwanted pickup line at a bar. But with the rise of social media, particularly the powerful algorithms of apps like X and TikTok, anyone, anywhere can be crowned an Internet heartthrob overnight.
…As a rule, Hardy keeps his sexuality and relationship status private, but he says his fame and the romantic attention it brings has come up with potential partners.
“The level of things that I receive sometimes, whether uncomfortable or not, is very public,” he says. “It’s one thing to receive things in private. It’s a whole other thing when it’s publicly accessible to anybody who has relative interest in you. I’ve had trouble navigating that.”
He’s had a particularly difficult time dealing with the “small minority” followers who feel an unjustified sense of ownership or intimacy. He says he’s received enough nonconsensual content that he no longer checks his Instagram DMs, and that people feel entitled to grab him in public or, in one case, follow him home.
Read more:
Lindsay, K. (2024, April 3). Uh oh. The Internet is horny for your man. Bustle. https://www.bustle.com/entertainment/tiktok-instagram-boyfriend-thirsty-fan-comments