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The internet is no stranger to a death hoax. Actor Jeff Goldblum was rumoured to have passed in 2009, martial arts legend Jackie Chan was falsely reported dead from a heart attack in 2011, Home Alone actor Macaulay Culkin was said to have died twice in 2014, and pop star Justin Bieber has apparently suffered a fatal drug overdose, been shot dead in a nightclub and succumbed to injuries from a car accident.
These kinds of hoaxes are relatively straightforward to clear up. A brief statement from the person involved, or their representative, is usually all it takes. But what happens when the official social media account of a celebrity is the source of the news?
Social media personality Lil Tay is at the centre of the most recent internet death hoax.
This week, fans of teenage influencer Lil Tay were rocked when a post on her Instagram page announced her passing.
The news was reported by most major outlets including the ABC, the Guardian, Insider and The Los Angeles Times. However, Tay confirmed she was alive a day later and the post was taken down, thus revealing a much murkier story.
So, who’s (not) dead now?
The influencer, reported to be 14, climbed the ranks of social media fame from the age of about nine thanks to her foul-mouthed, blinged-out content. She was said to have died unexpectedly shortly after her 21-year-old brother’s passing, and that both deaths were under investigation.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the devastating news of our beloved Claire’s sudden and tragic passing,” the Instagram post said. It referred to her real name as Claire Hope. “This outcome was entirely unexpected and has left us all in shock. Her brother’s passing adds an even more unimaginable depth to our grief. During this time of immense sorrow, we kindly ask for privacy as we grieve this overwhelming loss, as the circumstances surrounding Claire and her brother’s passing are still under investigation.”
Who is Lil Tay?
Tay was reportedly born in Vancouver, Canada, but moved to Los Angeles in 2018 to pursue a career in entertainment. Currently boasting over 3 million Instagram followers, she rose to prominence in 2017 after posting videos in which she would show off expensive cars, mansions and stacks of cash while cursing and flaunting a brazen on-screen persona. However, her account went dark after 2021.
If it walks like a hoax and talks like a hoax… It’s probably a hoax
The first glaring suspicion came from the fact that the Instagram statement was unsigned. Though it read as if it were written by a loved one, perhaps even a family member, there was no concrete indication as to who shared the news. Further, Tay’s legal name was reported to have been Claire Hope, when she says it is in fact Tay Tian.
Tay Tian, known professionally as Lil Tay, is an internet personality and child rapper.Credit: Instagram
Things became even more peculiar when journalists attempted to confirm the young personality’s passing with authorities and family members. According to Insider, Tay’s father, Christopher Hope, refused to either confirm or deny his child’s death. Her former manager, Harry Tsang, was similarly hesitant to corroborate her passing.
“Given the complexities of the current circumstances, I am at a point where I cannot definitively confirm or dismiss the legitimacy of the statement issued by the family,” Tsang told Insider on Thursday. “This situation calls for cautious consideration and respect for the sensitivities involved. My commitment remains focused on delivering updates that are both reliable and appropriately timed.”
No news outlets, including this masthead, were able to obtain confirmation that either the Los Angeles Police Department or the Vancouver Police had received reports of the death of a “Claire Hope”, or that any investigations were underway. However, that didn’t stop plenty of them from reporting the news solely based off the Instagram post.
On Friday, Tay herself appeared seemingly out of nowhere to assure everyone she was alive and well. Speaking to TMZ, she said she and her brother, Jason Tian, were safe and that her Instagram account had been hacked.
“I’m completely heartbroken,” she said. “It’s been a very traumatising 24 hours. All day yesterday, I was bombarded with endless heartbreaking and tearful phone calls from loved ones all while trying to sort out this mess.
“My Instagram account was compromised by a third party and used to spread jarring misinformation and rumours regarding me, to the point that even my name was wrong. My legal name is Tay Tian, not ‘Claire Hope’.”
Lil Tay’s social media accounts have been at the centre of online controversies since 2018.Credit: Instagram
The Instagram statement has since been removed from her account.
Death hoaxes are nothing new. Why is this one so baffling?
Though Tay’s former manager was reassured to know Tay was safe, he said he found it hard to believe she had been hacked, particularly given her account’s history.
“The typical duration for the restoration of a compromised account on platforms such as Meta or Instagram does not align with the reported 24-hour timeline,” Tsang said, adding that he believed making a statement like this could result in either financial gain or increased attention online for Tay and her brother.
Controversy has surrounded Tay’s account since 2018, when her account suddenly went dark after a video was released that seemed to show her being coached by someone off-camera. Some fans suspected it was her brother, Jason. According to Insider, Tay’s mother confirmed that Jason had at one time controlled his sister’s account; however, it is unknown for how long.
Activity resumed later that year, including concerning videos of Tay crying, as well as posts that accused Tay’s father of alleged abuse amid a heated custody battle. All of these posts were later taken down and her mother claimed that the Instagram account had been compromised when these posts were released.
In 2021, several posts accused Tay’s father of further abuse and of stealing her money, while a supposed business dispute raged on that saw Tsang and Hope pitted against Tay, Jason and their mother. Hope denied the abuse and theft allegations and sent a cease and desist letter to Instagram. The controversial posts were removed.
Since 2021, both Tay’s YouTube and Instagram accounts laid dormant, until this week. Yet, despite the lack of police confirmation or corroboration from family members, the unverified statement was quickly scooped up by major news outlets across the globe.
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