YouTube personality Miles Routledge recently found himself at the center of a major online controversy due to an ill-advised joke about India. In a now-deleted video uploaded to his social media account, Routledge stated that if he were to become UK Prime Minister, he would consider using nuclear weapons on India “just for the sake of it.”
Needless to say, this flippant remark did not sit well with many in India and abroad. Routledge's post was met with a barrage of criticism from outraged online users who slammed his insensitivity. Facing a tsunami of backlash, the influencer engaged directly with some commenters to defend his actions. He also shared screenshots of abusive messages received in response on another platform.
The firestorm was ignited by a meme Routledge had intended as comedy but was taken very seriously by those offended by the nuclear threat reference. As condemnation of his post grew exponentially, it's unclear if the influencer recognizes the gravity of making light of such an issue. While meant in jest, the comment promoted understandable anger for its callous disregard of geopolitical realities.
With a large international following thanks to his YouTube videos and social accounts, Routledge would be wise to consider how his words might impact various audiences before pressing post. This episode serves as a cautionary tale for all online personalities to think carefully about issues of cultural sensitivity when trying to be comedic. In the end, an off-handed “joke” simply wasn't worth the major online controversy it provoked.
