In October 2025, Megan Tomasic posted a TikTok expressing her disappointment with a singer’s concert. What should have been a simple expression of her personal opinion quickly turned into something much bigger. Her video reached millions of people, and she began receiving hateful comments and even death threats.
Sombr himself eventually responded publicly, bringing even more attention to the situation. In an interview with The Washington Post, Tomasic questioned why expressing disappointment with something she attended resulted in such extreme reactions.
Tomasic’s experience raises a larger question: have we reached a point where people fear the consequences of expressing an opinion more than the disagreement itself?
Social media allows people to share everything from personal beliefs to dance videos, exposing them to audiences that can respond with encouragement, criticism or harassment. It is also an environment where that same content can expose individuals to harassment and public ridicule.
When we repeatedly see people humiliated for expressing unpopular opinions, we may begin to self-censor, questioning whether sharing our thoughts is worth the risk.
Rather than engaging in a meaningful discussion, the comments are often negative, resulting in personal attacks, and sometimes even threats sent directly to their inbox.
A survey cited by Sacred Heart University found that 41% of young people had held back their opinions because they thought they might offend someone, while 39% avoided sharing their opinions because they feared being judged unfavorably. Another 27% worried their opinions would be shared with people outside the discussion.
Instead of healthy conflict and disagreements, we are becoming accustomed to the wrong kind of conflict, one that focuses on tearing others down rather than trying to understand them.
Sadly, people have always been bullied. Social media just changed how fast it happens. In the past, something might have happened, a small group of people would talk about it, and eventually move on. Now we have the ability to reach millions of people in seconds. Part of the problem is that social media rewards attention, and attention does not always come from kindness or meaningful discussions.
Online humiliation has become a form of entertainment, with videos of arguments, emotional breakdowns and embarrassing moments circulating among audiences who may know little about the people involved.
A thirty-second video or a viral post can introduce us to a complex subject, but they cannot always provide the context, evidence, or opposing perspectives needed to understand it fully.
The issue that can come from this is that we can become confident in an opinion before we have taken the time to question where it came from or investigate the facts fully.
Respecting someone’s right to express an opinion does not mean agreeing with it.. We can challenge harmful ideas, question someone’s reasoning and hold people accountable without resorting to harassment or threats.
Tomasic’s experience illustrates how quickly an ordinary opinion can become the subject of widespread public hostility.
If we want social media to remain a place where people can express themselves, we have to consider the role we play in creating that environment.
The next time we encounter an opinion we disagree with, we have a choice in how we respond. We can challenge the argument, question the evidence or offer another perspective.
What we should not do is make someone afraid to speak again.
