If you don’t have a Twitter, or if you’ve managed to escape the problematic Irish-famous side of Tiktok, then let me introduce: Kneevo. She is a social media presence who kick started her journey to fame on Tik Tok by making comedic and relatable Irish skits, and by being a warm and bubbly presence. But once the fame arose, the need to say and do problematic things also arose, which has become increasingly controversial in previous months.
Niamh O’Connor, who goes by the name Kneevo, created her OnlyFans in 2019 and boasts to her following about the insane income she earns from this. Of course, Only Fans is an incredible way to earn huge amounts of money rapidly, and is a safe space for the sex industry to work with regulations set in place for users to respect these workers. Unfortunately, there is a huge portion of the internet still who look down on legal, safe and consensual sex work.
The hate and backlash she received from her Only Fans related TikToks was immense, but unnecessary. However, as a result of this huge traction to her social media accounts caused by the Only Fans related content, the controversies didn’t stop there: bragging about getting plastic surgery during a global pandemic, being a self proclaimed controversial person is one thing and bashing those with a 9 – 5 job.
As Kneevo continued to get abuse for her Only Fans, she retaliated by stating that these haters shouldn’t be talking to her about self respect and that there’s “nothing wrong with working a regular 9-5, but that isn’t self respect”.
At a time where doctors and nurses, scientists and pharmacists, grocery store workers and the Gardaí are working tirelessly throughout the country’s 3rd Level 5 lockdown, Twitter took this as a slap in the face.
The Tiktoker has since apologised and retracted the statement, but not before using this attention to promote her and her friends’ Only Fans accounts.
Was this comment a rash reply to a hater that was poorly-worded? Was it a well-planned response to gain some views and publicity? Or does Kneevo really think those working 9-5’s don’t respect themselves? For now, we don’t know but I guess we’ll find out at the next controversial Tiktok.