There’s a moment near the very beginning of Lauren Matthias (Hidden True Crime)’s nine-hour livestream that says more than the next eight and a half hours combined. Before she dives into the screenshots, threats, and endless harassment she’s endured, she pauses to reflect on something else: the fact that the Law & Crime Network showed up to cover her civil stalking hearing.
It’s a striking juxtaposition; one that sits at the heart of the complicated world we now live in. Lauren protests being labeled a “limited purpose public figure” while simultaneously having a major media network film her legal proceedings. And honestly? She’s right to feel that was a step too far. There’s something unsettling about watching a large content company like the Law & Crime Network profit from a deeply personal crisis.
But step back for a moment, and isn’t that what they always do? Law & Crime sensationalizes headlines and doesn’t report from a trauma-informed standpoint.
This event is a reminder that true crime creators, consumers, and platforms alike need to internalize: the stories we follow are not fiction. The people at the center of these cases, including the ones telling them, are real human beings with lives, jobs, trauma, and boundaries.
And when those boundaries are crossed, the fallout doesn’t end when the camera stops rolling.
Small Creators Are Targets, Too
Watching Lauren speak for nine straight hours about her stalker hit me harder than I expected. There are multiple women who come from the opposite side of the power dynamic; they aren’t large-scale creators with a big audience, known enough to draw headlines, or have hundreds of thousands of people coming to their defense.
Individuals with allegedly more influence, more reach, and frankly, more time on their hands decide someone is worth harassing. They spread lies. They fabricated stories. They contact people one may work with, attempting to sabotage professional relationships and poison reputations. They may even target one’s children. They often turn their platform and audience into a weapon.
But the people who actually matter, the ones who know you and value your work, will see through it. Journalists may be so included to report on their truth of the situation – at length, much to some people’s annoyance. But when the police are slow to act, sometimes the best thing you can do as a journalist, for your peace of mind, for your heart, is write. People will often recognize the behavior for what it is: the product of someone deeply unwell, seeking control they could never truly have, cycling through a rolodex of victims for “clicks” and “views.”
The Power Imbalance: When “Punching Down” Becomes Abuse
There’s a particular cruelty in being harassed by someone who is “punching down.” It’s not a fair fight, but that’s because it’s not meant to be. The goal isn’t conversation or resolution; it’s humiliation, intimidation, and silencing.
And it’s a dynamic that plays out over and over in online spaces:
- Reputation sabotage: False claims sent to employers, collaborators, sponsors.
- Isolation tactics: Reaching out to your network in an attempt to make you radioactive.
- Narrative hijacking: Spreading lies faster than you can respond.
- Psychological warfare: Keeping you on edge, waiting for the next escalation.
Lauren’s case might look different from others, but beneath the surface, bad actors follow the same script.
What True Crime Consumers (and Creators) Must Remember
The juxtaposition Lauren highlighted, protesting her public figure status while Law and Crime attempted to monetize her pain, is a wake-up call for the entire true crime ecosystem.
Sometimes, we are the problem.
We consume these stories like entertainment. We binge them. We debate them. But we too often forget that the people involved are not characters; they’re real people. They have families. They have mental health struggles. They carry scars that don’t fade when the camera shuts off or when people get bored and the algorithm moves on.
And for creators and journalists, this is a watershed moment: for us, this means holding ourselves to a higher standard. It means drawing ethical lines. It means asking ourselves hard questions before we hit “upload” or “go live.”
My Advice to Lauren — And Anyone Fighting This Battle
Here’s what I’ve learned from being on the receiving end of online abuse, an increasing problem for women, and what I’d offer to anyone, Lauren included, going through it:
- Document Everything. Save screenshots, emails, DMs, timestamps. Create a record that can be used if legal action becomes necessary. Be as transparent as possible, even if the screenshots or “receipts” might make you look bad.
- Build a Trusted Circle. Have people in your corner who know the truth, who can verify facts, and who can offer perspective when lies start to swirl.
- Set Firm Boundaries. Block, mute, and delegate moderation. Not everything deserves a response and responding will only feed the fire.
- Control Your Own Narrative. Don’t let others define you. Tell your story your way, on your timeline.
- Protect Your Mental Health. Therapy, breaks, digital detoxes; these aren’t luxuries, they’re lifelines.
- Escalate When Needed. If threats cross a line, physical danger, doxxing, stalking, involve law enforcement or legal counsel early.
- Remember Their Behavior Isn’t About You. People who torment, harass, or smear are acting out of their own instability, not your worth.
Real People Behind the Screen
Lauren’s livestream was more than just a marathon of storytelling; it was a reminder of how blurry the line between public and private has become, and how easily human beings are devolved into “content.”
Many people can relate to the pain, especially if they’ve lived a version of it, even as a smaller creator targeted by someone with more power, albeit undeserved. And in these stories, the same truth holds: what’s happening isn’t entertainment. It’s not drama. It’s not “tea.”
It’s trauma, and it deserves to be treated with seriousness and empathy.
If you’re in the middle of a bad actor’s campaign, know this: you’re not alone. Whether you’re the one with the platform or the one they’re trying to silence, there’s a whole community who understand and who are still standing.
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