Influencers have come under fire for posting videos on TikTok and Instagram while vacationing in Jamaica during the historic Category 5 Hurricane Melissa, with critics accusing them of insensitivity and exploiting the disaster for personal gain. The backlash has intensified as many travelers used the chaotic situation as a backdrop for their content, despite the severe risks to lives and properties.
Among those criticized was a TikToker with over 150,000 followers who posted a video titled ‘Hurricane Melissa out here messing with my vacation,’ as she was supposedly traveling in Jamaica during the storm. Another video depicted two frozen cocktails with the caption, ‘Pretending there’s not a category 5 hurricane hitting Jamaica.’ These videos, which have since been deleted, have generated significant controversy online. Meanwhile, a traveler with 680,000 followers posted ‘hurricane fit check’ videos, which received thousands of reactions.
Commenters on the videos expressed concern over the insensitivity of the actions, with some calling out the creators for being ‘so unserious’ about the dangers of the situation. A viewer warned, ‘You have no idea what you are about to go through. Be safe,’ while another remarked, ‘You are entirely surrounded by windows that are not boarded up. Why is that.’
Brad Polumbo, a Steamboat Institute fellow and social media critic, told Fox News Digital that this behavior exemplifies what he calls ‘tragedy tourism,’ where content creators take advantage of catastrophes for personal gain. He criticized this trend as ‘despicable,’ arguing that it distracts from actual victims and monetizes human trauma. Polumbo pointed out that this is part of Gen-Z and social media culture’s ‘broader fixation with attention as currency,’ which drives young people to prioritize attention over sensitivity and safety.
In a related development, the scope of the disaster caused by Hurricane Melissa is becoming more apparent, with at least 32 people confirmed dead in Jamaica, and eight more unconfirmed deaths under investigation. Flooding from the storm has also resulted in at least 31 deaths in nearby Haiti, according to the Civil Protection Department. Officials in Jamaica said Monday that at least 32 people have been killed by Melissa, with another eight unconfirmed deaths being investigated, the source noted. It was the most powerful storm to directly hit Jamaica — and the first major hurricane to do so since 1988, according to Reuters.