When Clout Cosplays as Credentials
Why pretending to be a lawyer for views puts everyone at risk
There’s a troubling trend happening in creator culture right now, and the Blake Lively–Justin Baldoni lawsuit has put it in full view.
Content creators, some with massive platforms, are commenting on an active, ongoing lawsuit while presenting themselves as legal authorities they are not.
In some cases, they’ve gone further: allowing magazines, blogs, and media outlets to identify them as attorneys, and choosing not to correct the record because the confusion benefits their brand.
Some creators actively lean into it making false claims “they passed the bar”.
This isn’t edgy commentary.
It isn’t harmless analysis.
And it isn’t “just the internet.”
It’s misrepresentation. And it has real consequences.
Commentary Is Not the Problem. Impersonation Is.
Let’s be clear about something upfront:
People are allowed to talk about public lawsuits.
People are allowed to critique media narratives.
People are allowed to explain legal concepts in ge…
