While these characters are entertaining, they impact how we view conflict: Romanticizing Toxic Behavior:
However, this saturation of bully-centric content carries a weight. When media frames bullying as "entertaining drama" or "sexy tension," it normalizes the mechanisms of abuse. The "just a prank" culture of early YouTube, which often targeted vulnerable people for views, is a direct descendant of the idea that cruelty is content. The line between a character being "bold" and being abusive becomes increasingly thin.
