Social media star Elyse Myers, who has over 7 million followers on TikTok, was the subject of a new wave of drama and controversy.
Elyse Myers' Operation Watermelon Controversy
The Elyse Myers controversy began when she fell victim to the "Operation Watermelon" movement started by TikTok user angie_mariie. The movement seeks to raise awareness for the ongoing Israeli and Palestinian conflict and the casualties it has caused in Gaza.
"Operation Watermelon" sees followers flood the comments of targeted influencers' videos with the names of journalists in Gaza who are drawing attention to the situation online. The goal behind the movement is to force the hit creators to educate themselves on the crisis and speak out on it publically.
Several of Myers' videos were hit with these comments until the creator eventually deleted all her posts and videos from Instagram and TikTok. This raised issues for many, who took her lack of public stance and response as support for Israel as some have been quick to call her a zionist.
Myers stepped away from social media in early 2024, updating the bios to her Instagram and TikTok pages to read, "Taking a break from this app.
See you when I see you." Her YouTube channel remains active, and Myers continues to post content regularly.
This comes after Myers openly spoke about her mental health struggles and the open heart surgery her son received after a large hole was found in his heart. It's unclear whether her exit from the two social platforms comes due to the struggles in her personal life or the "Operation Watermelon" comments.
"Operation Watermelon" has proven controversial, with some expressing how the movement is not intended to harass but merely to educate. Meanwhile, others propose there may be better ways to raise awareness of the Gaza situation as social media creators may not be obligated to take a stance on the conflict.
Elyse Myers can be found on social media on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
