Woman asks influencer for a selfie. She says posting it will cost money because ‘there’s not enough room’ in the industry
The influencer economy has entered its selfie charge era.
Meeting someone you’ve admired online can be exciting, but for one woman who recently moved to California, an encounter with her favorite influencer came with an unexpected price tag.
TikTok creator Caraline (@caraline23) says she approached an influencer she’d followed for a long time while out in San Diego. She hoped to get some advice about growing her own social media account and take a selfie with her. Instead, she claims the influencer told her she would have to pay before posting their photo because she doesn’t allow others to capitalize on her appearance.
Caraline shared the encounter in a TikTok video, explaining that it happened the previous night. The experience left her determined to grow her account, with a little help from self-professed spite.
An influencer allegedly wanted payment for posting a selfie
Caraline had only recently moved to California and had never encountered an influencer she followed out in “the wild.” So when she recognized one during a night out, she decided to introduce herself.
She began by complimenting the woman’s appearance, calling her the most beautiful person she’d ever seen. According to Caraline, the response was a rather standoffish “thanks.”
Hoping to learn from someone already established online, Caraline asked for advice about growing her account. “I’m attractive. People follow me because I’m attractive,” the influencer allegedly replied.
The conversation seemed to be winding down when Caraline requested a picture together. “If I take a picture with you, you can’t post it without paying me,” she recalled the influencer saying. She added that the woman wouldn’t let others capitalize on her face because “there’s not enough room in this industry for everyone.”
She pointed out that the influencer had a few hundred thousand TikTok followers and wasn’t a celebrity. The alleged exchange shares a common denominator with another awkward influencer encounter, in which a woman said her date tried to turn their outing into content. Reportedly, he even tried requesting free coffee from a cafe by flexing his follower count.
For Caraline, the influencer’s remarks suggested she wasn’t attractive enough to build a following of her own. “Now I’m hyper fixated on growing my account past hers just out of spite,” she said.
Caraline gains followers but refuses to name the influencer
Viewers quickly jumped on board with the idea. One commenter wrote, “OUT OF SPITE?!?!?! Say less. Followed.” Another declared, “Imma follow you out of pure spite.”
Others offered practical advice. A social media professional suggested Caraline turn her move to San Diego into a series featuring local recommendations, potentially creating opportunities to collaborate with businesses.
Several viewers also compared her appearance to actress Emma Watson, with one jokingly addressing her as “Hermione.” Some commenters speculated that the unnamed influencer viewed Caraline as competition. However, Caraline didn’t claim to know the woman’s motives.
On a different occasion in the world of influencer disputes, another content creator said a restaurant owner once made her cry for wanting to change her order. Later on, they reached out to her for a collaboration.
As for Caraline, her TikTok comment section urged her to reveal the identity of the woman who allegedly wanted her to pay for photo usage. “I will never send people to hate on someone on the internet,” she explained in a comment. “No matter how bad our interaction was, no one deserves that.” Her decision earned praise from viewers, including some who said they followed her because she wouldn’t name the influencer. While Caraline initially approached the woman hoping to learn how to grow her account, sharing the encounter appears to have brought her an audience of her own.
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