Top 10 Most Toxic Fandoms On The Internet

Suppose you’ve just finished a TV series or a book. You want to let it rest, but you’re a curious cat. So you lift the internet’s veil to get at the cream. You glimpse mountains of shiny fan art, fanfiction, theories, predictions, and God only knows what else, but there’s a catch if you want to see all of it. 

These pop culture admirers in this wild, fantastic land aren’t the most friendly or appropriate. We asked the internet about some toxic fandoms they’ve observed, and they brought the radioactivity to our doorstep. 

1. True Crime 

One of the most significant complaints viewers put forth about true crime fans is their belief in an uncanny ability to solve crime before law enforcement does. For example, watching TikToks and listening to murder mystery podcasts doesn’t equate to expertise in forensic science or criminal psychology, as some critiques of the fandom pointed out. 

Apart from obstruction of justice and messing up an investigation, coming to incorrect conclusions about the perpetrator that could have real-life consequences isn’t as mysterious as screen adaptations of the trope. You know, when the investigation team arrests the villain, only to discover the real villain in the last few minutes of an episode. 

It’s not just that; many true crime fans idolize the likes of Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and even fictional serial killers like Evan Peters. So not only are there decent, kind, attractive men to appreciate in media, but does no one remember what happened to the family in AHS: Murder House? I still get the heebie-jeebies. 

2. Sports Fans

Passionately supporting a team or keeping tabs on a sport makes sense, and there’s nothing like the tension during a big match; sports can also bring you joy and connection with other fans. However, fans tend to discard all the wholesome parts of enjoying the same game when they indulge in extreme displays of emotion after both victories and defeats. 

These displays include overwhelming players with negative comments and vandalism; throw in some gatekeeping, and you have a fandom to avoid. Some diehard football fans still ask me about the offside rule to test my knowledge. 

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3. K-Pop Stans

Don’t get me wrong; the K-Pop artists are some of the most talented individuals in the industry. They can sing, dance, and act, and their fans know how to appreciate them except when they go overboard. However, they’re not the best at handling criticism for their idols and aren’t the nicest on social media. 

For example, a healthcare worker recalled teenage stans asking them to experience nightshifts after getting a job in response to pointing out overworked music group members. In a famous incident, stans lashed out at people who believed the fans could cure cancer if they wanted to; if someone believed in us like that, we’d put the lab coats on and get to work. 

4. Rick And Morty

Unless you live under a rock, you’ll probably know why this fandom is on the list. One thing the online community agrees on is that the fanbase ruined the show for new people. In a notably unfunny prank, someone filmed themselves pretending to be “Pickle-Rick,” at McDonald’s while demanding Szechuan sauce. This video is one of the reasons people are wary of the show’s fans. 

As some early fans of the show note, idolizing Rick is not the show’s intended takeaway for countless behavioral reasons, the least of which is – often – forgetting Morty in an alternate dimension. True confession: my son made me watch Rick and Morty letting me know “he wasn’t a perfect guy.”

5. The Legend of Korra fans

Fans of The Last Airbender had mixed reactions to the sequel following the life of Avatar Korra, the successor to Aang. However, the show is not at fault, although I hate what they made of Katara. According to commentators online, most of the fanbase conjures up too many headcanons in response to any critique of the story. 

Despite the storyline suffering in season 2, as many watchers claim, most fans refuse to see what the writers could have improved and insist on their versions.

6. The Heartstopper Fandom 

The much beloved graphic novels came to Netflix in a sweet, cozy adaptation, but the warm, fuzzy feeling of watching people on screen be in love didn’t last too long. Instead, fans pressurized one of the leads, Kit Connor, into revealing personal details about his life online. The recurring problem, according to contributors, is fans becoming entitled to private information about celebrities and accusing them of queer baiting, all for playing a role. 

7. Swifties 

Taylor Swift is an incredibly gifted singer and lyricist who has made it big in part through the support of her fans. But these fans don’t get that even their role model can make mistakes. People have voiced concerns about bullying and some conspiracy theories. For example, a faction of her fandom calls themselves “Gaylors” and regularly denounces her relationship. 

Talk about biting the hand that writes all that music. 

8. Larries

Many of us were Directioners at one point and followed every move made by One Direction members. Some of us just claimed to know them better. The rise and fall of the “Larries” centered around creating a relationship between Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson, fueled mainly by fanfiction and speculation. It’s been years since the band broke up, and the Larries still insist on a ship that never set sail. 

They broke the cardinal rules of shipping, which was never to involve real people; a sin the internet will never forget. 

9. Gaming

Video gamers regularly accuse most of the gaming community of gatekeeping and rudeness. Yet, despite all the people video games unite, many remain wary because of the hostility they face if they don’t play the game a certain way. Some of the behavior is related to extreme competition, and other is plain old cyberbullying which discourages people from playing multiplayer games even if they’re pretty amazing.

10. Harry Potter

It would’ve been easier to admit these books and movies formed a significant part of our childhood so we could gracefully move on. Still, it’s always challenging with popular franchises, even those aimed at children. Adults have decided to sort themselves into Hogwarts houses and base their personalities on particular characteristics of Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. 

It doesn’t seem like a problem until these adults perpetuate these differences and engage in keyboard wars with children just discovering the series. 

This thread inspired this post. 

This article was originally on The Cents of Money.