Is the very concept of the parasocial relationship here the problem? Previously, only a very select few people would be able to be the subject of such a relati

Is the very concept of the parasocial relationship here the problem? Previously, only a very select few people would be able to be the subject of such a relationship. So, it's fairly easy to protect them from the pitfalls of it. Bodyguards, gated communities, limited in-person socialization with non-peers, etc. In other words, celebrities. Of any stripe. They've been dealing with this issue for years. But now, we have YouTube, Twitch, OnlyFans, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, and probably dozens more I can't even think of and have never been exposed to. And someone making rent by slinging nudes on OnlyFans doesn't have enough cash for an entourage. They don't have the lawyers and accountants available to advise them and help them set up companies to make certain transactions to disguise certain facts about themselves. Like where they live. They also don't have anyone who is decent enough at public relations to help them navigate the fine line between seeming personable while not sharing too many facts about themselves. But they'll have a segment of people completely engaged with them in one of these parasocial relationships. And in a way they do encourage it. And in another real way, it's the job they've chosen. When any of them talk about "building relationships with viewers" and how it's important, that's the kind of relationship they are talking about: a parasocial relationship. The vast majority of people do not have the means to deal with parasocial relationships that go wrong. And even those with the means sometimes get hit. Ronald Reagan was shot by a man trying to impress Jodie Foster. And I think those building parasocial relationships that contain sexual intimacy are particularly at risk.