Lindsey Shaw, Pretty Little Liars Star, Quits Social Media Over TikTok Backlash
Paul Dailly
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Lindsey Shaw is leaving social media behind ... for now.
The actress was criticized for making fun of a popular TikTok dance made popular by Black TikTok creators.
The former Pretty Little Liars and Ned's Declassified star shared a clip on her own account before cutting to herself doing the dance and saying the following:
"Hey, are we OK? What the f**k is this?"
Lindsey's Ned's Declassified co-star, Devon Werkheiser, who is white, posted the same clip but put himself in the video to share the dance ahead of her comments.
This was days earlier, and Lindsey had commented, "Get it!!!!"
There were also laughing face emojis on the same post from Shaw.
Shaw was called out in the comments section, but the star did not back down initially before sharing a video with her crying and talking about the backlash she has received.
"I just have to say right now that the hate in my inbox is not OK, OK?" she said in the video on Instagram Stories.
"I did not mean anything in any kind of way. I am learning every day as I think everybody is," she continued.
"And this kind of hate just needs to evaporate from the planet no matter who it's directed toward."
"Crocodile tears, no dude! This is my soul out there," she added.
"If you know anything about what I stand for or believe in, it's not this. I am sorry you were offended."
Shaw went on to reveal she was taking a break from social media.
"I think for my own mental health, I need to take a step back from social media," she said.
"I'm not here to offend or belittle anybody at all. I thought that the Millennial/Gen Z thing was a thing on TikTok. The intention wasn't that serious, y'all."
Shaw added that she would return to TikTok.
"I'll be back, and I hope that I know more and we all have a little more compassion and understanding."
Werkheiser subsequently opened up about the drama and called Lindsey's initial video "unnecessary" while saying her comments on the matter were "rather reactionary and defensive."
"If you know Lindsey personally, you know she's a hater on all sorts of things -- Black, white, brown, popular, unpopular -- and can be a reactionary and defensive person," he said of his co-star.
"But she's also got a good heart and is dealing with personal issues and challenges that none of you know anything about."
"People are out here standing for a principle and standing for people of color, which I get, but I'm also going to defend my friend's well-being because friends don't get canceled in real life," he continued.
"Can she maybe be a little ignorant and defensive and reactionary? Yeah, but I also love her and will defend her and stand for her success in this life."
Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.
