influencer

K-POP influencer Mina Chan, 26, has taken her own life during a disturbing livestream.

She said she had been harassed by the fans of a popular boy band for “overstepping boundaries” in the days before her death.

The Japanese social media star died by suicide in the early hours of August 5.

She was based in South Korea and known for running a fan account for K-pop boyband Enhypen.

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SACRAMENTO — Weeks before voting ended in California’s primary for governor, Los Angeles-based influencer Shaka Smith took to Instagram to tell his more than 700,000 followers whom he was voting for and why.

“Healthcare shouldn’t bankrupt you, housing should not feel impossible, polluters shouldn’t pass their bill to us, and artists should not be replaced by AI,” Smith said. “That’s why I’m supporting Tom Steyer for governor.”

But Smith started the video with a disclaimer: “This is an ad, and honestly, I wish more political content said that first.” His caption specified that he was paid by Steyer’s campaign.

California is one of two states, along with Texas, that have passed policies requiring content creators to say if they’ve been paid by a political campaign to post, and the Golden State is considering cracking down by fining people who don’t.

Campaigns have long worked with celebrities and major influencers to win over voters, but now they are teaming up with smaller creators — sometimes with fewer than 100,000 followers — to reach more tailored audiences. That has sparked debates about whether disclosure rules for political advertisements should apply to content creators, who are expected to play prominent roles in the upcoming midterms and the 2028 presidential election.

“If you’re running for president and you are not currently trying to court some of these people or lining up your own people to act as surrogates for you, you’re already behind,” said Mike Nellis, a Democratic strategist who worked for Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign.

Campaigns tap creators to spread their message

Questions about transparency have been fueled by high-profile instances of influencers making content intended to change minds or votes without disclosing they were being paid.

In 2022, the campaign of Democratic then-Senate candidate John Fetterman paid Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi of “Jersey Shore” to record a video teasing his GOP rival for leaving New Jersey before announcing his run in Pennsylvania. In 2023, content creators were paid by an influencer marketing agency with conservative ties to defend Texas Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton, a Republican, after he was impeached for alleged bribery and other accusations of misconduct, according to the Texas Tribune. The payments weren’t clearly disclosed in either case.

Steyer, a Democratic billionaire who spent more than $215 million of his own money on his unsuccessful bid for governor, took fire from rivals for paying content creators. He wasn’t the only contender in the race paying influencers, but he faced much of the blowback because he had already been accused of trying to buy the election for having poured much of his personal fortune into his campaign. Many of the creators who worked with Steyer’s campaign disclosed that they were paid, but the state’s campaign finance watchdog is investigating several other instances in which creators allegedly didn’t.

There are no federal disclosure rules

Sen. Adam Schiff of California introduced federal legislation last month, but it hasn’t received a vote yet. Some outside groups are urging the Federal Election Commission to pass its own rule.

California’s law requiring disclosure, passed in 2023, is difficult to enforce. The state’s campaign watchdog can seek a court order compelling an influencer to disclose that they were paid, but that can take months.

That prompted Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park) to write a new bill to penalize content creators and political committees if the creator fails to state they were compensated. The bill would give the state’s Fair Political Practices Commission the power to fine influencers and committees if they are found to have violated the law, allowing the commission to bypass the court process. They could face fines of up to $5,000 per violation, according to the commission.

“Voters should have a right to know whether or not campaigns are paying for the messaging that they’re seeing,” Berman said.

Texas’ campaign watchdog passed a rule in 2024 requiring content creators to include disclaimers when they are paid for political advertisements, and the New York Legislature is considering a similar requirement. Other disclosure bills failed in recent years in Utah and Georgia.

Influencer says his ad had an impact

Smith, the L.A. influencer, hadn’t committed to a candidate for governor when a trusted friend told him to look into Steyer. That friend had been paid to post about Steyer.

Smith liked Steyer’s promise to increase taxes on billionaires and his refusal to accept donations from corporate political action committees.

He ended up doing two paid ads, both of which included compensation disclaimers that the Steyer campaign told him were a requirement.

Smith wouldn’t say exactly how much the campaign paid him, but he said it was in the thousands of dollars. He thinks the posts had an effect on his followers, with only a few detractors objecting.

“They kind of trust my voice,” he said of his audience. “They knew that if I’m saying it, it’s at least something they should look into.”

Creators respond to proposed policy changes

Dustin Torreverde, a content creator in Southern California who hasn’t been paid by a political campaign for social media posts, said it’s important for influencers to be transparent with their audiences. But the bill could pose an unfair burden on creators who are just trying to make a living, he said.

“A lot of us are very small creators,” he said. “So if we were to get penalized and we have to get lawyers, stuff like that, it’s going to be very difficult for us.”

Adina Flores, a libertarian content creator in Northern California who votes for both parties, said influencers should have to disclose if they are paid and that she generally supports penalties. She worries some people may take money to post political content without doing a “deep dive into the candidate to make sure that’s somebody they should support.”

Saurav Ghosh, a lawyer with the Campaign Legal Center, a nonprofit focused on protecting American democracy, hopes disclosure requirements passed by states will lead to federal rules.

“Transparency is one of the most important pillars of our election system,” he said.

Austin writes for the Associated Press.

THE identity of Safiyya Vorajee’s boyfriend has been unmasked.

The ex of Ashley Cain revealed she was in a new relationship earlier today on Instagram but did not give away the identity of the mystery man.

But now, he has been uncovered to be a popular Dutch social media influencer..

Virgil Sint Jago appears to have won the heart of Safiyya who has publicly remained single since her split from Ashley and the tragic passing of their daughter, Azaliya.

Safiyya is understood to have met Virgil in Bali on holiday and is now in the throes of a new romance with him.

As well as being an influencer and online creator, Virgil is also a personal trainer and specialises in helping older women lose weight.

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His social media is littered with plenty of shirtless pics as well as being packed full of his impressive fitness content.

Glam Safiyya first began to hint at the romance a few weeks ago before sharing a cosy selfie with Virgil earlier today.

The 38-year-old took to social media to share a sweet tribute to her new romance alongside a snap of them together. 

Safiyya wrote: “Happy the universe changed my direction from Thailand to Bali.

“In a world that’s so big we met exactly where we were meant to feel so happy.

“God always gets the timing right. Trust in him always. The most magical connection when you feel it in your soul.”

Safiyya also opened up about her trip to Bali and told followers she’s entering a new chapter of her life.

She said: “There’s something so magical here that has healed parts of my soul I didn’t even realise were still hurting.

“I’ve grown so much. My nervous system has finally experienced what real calm feels like. I’ve let my guard down, allowed myself to be vulnerable, and in doing that, I’ve found friendships and connections that have changed me forever.”

Safiyya and ex-boyfriend Ashley Cain were left devastated in 2021 when Azaylia died at eight-months-old following a battle with leukaemia.

It comes weeks after Ashley, who is also dad so sons Alyias, two, and Atlas, one, from different relationships, was dropped by the BBC over historic social media posts which allegedly showed him making degrading comments about women.

The Ex on the Beach star’s Twitter posts made in 2011 and 2013 are said to have referenced extreme sex acts and appeared to make light of consent.

He reportedly used offensive, sexualised and aggressive language about women.

24-year-old TikToker Cesar Gastelum, was shot dead while livestreaming with friends outside a fast-food restaurant in Culiacan, Mexico. The city is at the centre of a gang turf war between two factions of the Sinaloa Cartel.

A HUGE US influencer has revealed her husband’s face “caught on fire” during a BBQ, and has left him with “second-degree burns”.

Rebecca Zamolo, 41, left her followers concerned after she shared the horror accident that left Matthew Yoakum, 46, badly injured.

The social media star shared a slew of photos which included how her husband’s face looked after it had been burned.

Posting the pics on Instagram, the mum-of-two penned: “For those who don’t know, Matt’s face caught on fire at our BBQ and it gave him ‘2nd degree superficial burns’.

“It was hours before our flight to Hawaii to celebrate his birthday so he has been healing here. (He still wanted to go).

“It was a scary incident for all of us, and a reminder how precious life is.

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“Thank you to everyone that has reached out and friends that are in the medical field and put him on a good path to heal.

“He’s extremely lucky as it could have been a lot worse, but we are taking it day by day. We love you Matt.”

Rebecca’s followers immediately rushed to share their concern, with one writing: “Omg. That is horrible. So happy he’s okay.”

While another added: “Sending love & prayers.”

A third worried fan wrote: “This is awful! Get well soon Matt!”

Rebecca is a huge influencer, with 3.3million followers on Instagram and over 30million on YouTube.

The star is known for her family orientated content, which often includes Matt and their two kids, Zadie and Xander.

Georges Hana Dib, known as Dr Food, was sentenced for smuggling hashish out of Lebanon in cake packaging.

Beirut, Lebanon – The popular Lebanese food influencer, known as Dr Food and dubbed Lebanon’s Breaking Bad, has been sentenced to life in prison with hard labour for drug smuggling.

Hashish reportedly hidden in cake packaging produced in Baalbek in eastern Lebanon was transported to Turkiye and then shipped internationally.

Georges Hanna Dib and other Lebanese and Syrian nationals were sentenced under Lebanon’s Narcotics Law, which covers the manufacturing of banned drugs, according to reports.

Judge Elie al-Helou, sentenced him to life imprisonment with hard labour and fined him 120 million Lebanese pounds ($1,341).

The sentencing comes after a 2024 drug bust involving 820kg (1,800 pounds) of hashish hidden in cake packaging.

Dib, who is not a real doctor but has more than five million followers on TikTok, is believed to be out of the country. He and others who were sentenced in their absence were also stripped of their civil rights.

Dib was recommended a life sentence and hard labour in February last year when a Mount Lebanon investigative judge charged him with “manufacturing, trafficking, and smuggling drugs abroad”.

On Sunday, Dr Food’s Instagram page made no mention of the court case or any reaction to the sentencing. The page shared a giveaway that his food product brand was running.

People who received the message, posted it on TikTok and received 100,000 views would win $100 from the influencer.

In one video posted to Instagram, Dr Food appears to be filming himself in his car but does not address the court’s decision.

His last story was posted on March 27 from Beirut’s waterfront. There, he is asking displaced Lebanese what they miss eating and then proceeds to order food for them from some of Lebanon’s most popular food chains.

Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley is notorious for hashish production. Last November, Lebanese police arrested Noah Zaiter, a 48-year-old drug trafficker, known as the Lebanese Pablo Escobar. He was sentenced to four months in prison in February.

AN influencer has died after her BMW flipped and slammed into a tree in a horror crash.

Ayzia J, 22, was killed in the deadly collision in New Jersey alongside her friend.

Her friend Henrietta Carter, 22, was riding in the front passenger seat at the time of the crash and was killed.

A third person, who had been in the back of the car, survived the deadly collision with minor injuries.

The car left the road, then overturned and smashed into a tree, according to New Jersey State Police.

Police have launched an investigation into the deadly crash.

Ayzia’s family have launched a fundraising appeal to help them cover funeral costs.

The influencer has more than 300,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok.

WITH a wardrobe to envy Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw, lifestyle
influencer Amelia Liana appeared to be the ultimate single girl.

But her carefully curated “single girl” persona was shattered this
week when she published her YouTube vlog on Sunday night, titled: “I
GOT MARRIED!!!!”

After all, Amelia, 34, who shares every inch of her life online, was not wearing an engagement ring – let alone mentioning that she had a boyfriend.

Only two months ago she posted a video on her YouTube account titled: “Single in my 30s and life update.”

So for the two million followers she calls “family”, it came as a huge shock.

London-born Amelia Liana launched her YouTube in 2013 and
has since grown on TikTok and Instagram – publishing her luxury
lifestyle which includes running “boujie errands” such as picking up
jewellery at Cartier.

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In her reveal video on Sunday, Amelia did little to quell her
followers’ thirst to know about her marriage—and, more to the point,
her new man.

The description read: “Surprise! We skipped a chapter! I’ve been
keeping a little secret and I couldn’t wait to tell you that I got
married!”

Sat in her “shroom” [shoe room] in her multi-million London townhouse,
Amelia said: “This is going to make me really emotional saying this
because I feel like you guys are family – I couldn’t wait to tell
you.”

She added: “I decided that the next relationship I shared online was
going to be my husband. This is definitely the best relationship I have ever been in, in my life and that’s why I married him.

“Some people predicted that I was getting married or something was
going on because there were a lot of men’s shoes around.”

Of keeping her marriage under wraps, she said: “I couldn’t cut so much
footage because there was a lot of footage already being cut because I
kept forgetting to take off my ring.

“I think a lot of people on TikTok spotted it because I forgot to cut
out my ring in a video and it was up for like half an hour and then I
deleted it and reposted it because that was not supposed to be how I
wanted to tell you.”

However I can reveal that Amelia has tied the knot with a 41-year-old high-flying CEO named Michael. 

The marriage took place on May 19 at Chelsea Old Town Hall on the King’s Road in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

Her new husband who speaks English and German, and is the CEO of a multinational brand.

Amelia and her new man have also chosen not to follow each other on Instagram.

The couple are understood to have also had a ceremony at Spencer House in London’s St James’s with family and friends. 

The Great Room, which overlooks Green Park, costs between £13,750 and £15,000 to hire.

She is also believed to have held her reception at London’s five-star hotel Claridge’s which can cost up to £30,000 with food and drinks included.

Amelia requested that her wedding planner organise an Alfonso mango stand at the reception.

She also had a traditional henna party which included fellow influencers Suzie Bonaldi and Audrey Peters – instead of having bridesmaids.

In true Amelia style, her bridal party – including sister Hannah and mum Carol – got ready in the £6,000-a-night room, The Dorchester Suite, at the five-star hotel overlooking Hyde Park.

Meanwhile I have heard that the couple honeymooned at the five-star Amanzoe resort in Greece. 

A pool pavilion room at the resort costs around £3,542 per night and includes a 19ft private pool and views of the Aegean Sea.

The stay includes complimentary movements classes including Pilates and yoga as well as daily breakfast. 

Of the wedding, a friend said: “It was a really fantastic day. Amelia couldn’t be happier. They had 200 of her closest friends and family there – and she, luckily, timed the weather well.

“It was just before the full heatwave – and was a glorious sunny day…without being too hot! She and her husband have known each other a long time – and got engaged last year.

“They actually had their formal marriage a few weeks before posting. Now, happily married, Amelia’s looking forward to getting back to work with a renewed sense of vigour – after being absolutely blown away by the reaction to her wedding videos.

“She never thought there would be so much traction from them – but those vids have already amassed more than 65 million views, which is incredible. That has been yet another boost for her – and has really rounded off a perfect few weeks.”

Amelia has so far shared 20 posts about her wedding with her 595,000 Instagram followers—with no groom in sight.

She has also set up an Instagram broadcast channel called “AL Club” to constantly keep her followers interested in the wedding.

Of what she looks for in a partner, she previously said: “I need a man that is secure. Not an insecure man – a secure man.

“If you are an insecure man – and I have had experience in this – you
are going to resent me, resent my success.”

She added: “So I need a man that is secure.”

One fan said: “SINGLE IN MY 30S” two months ago. What was the point in
all the long vents about how “behind in life you are” and repeating
you’re single over and over…

In 2019 Amelia announced that she has split from her fiance known as
“Robert” in an emotional Youtube video.

It came after Amelia documented her engagement party after announcing the proposal in December 2018.

She went on to date family friend Jak Serr – the son of BBC Apprentice
star and entrepreneur Linda Plant.

The pair documented their relationship with TikTok videos but Amelia
confirmed in 2024 that the pair had transitioned back to a friendship.

As Israel’s war on Lebanon rages, hundreds gather in Rmeileh by Sidon Gate to watch the 2026 World Cup. Organised by influencer Bilal Haddad, the fan zone offers food trucks, shisha and family activities, giving people a rare chance to relax. Al Jazeera’s Justin Salhani went to check it out.