This French influencer with millions of subscribers accused of sectarian excesses

This French influencer with millions of subscribers accused of sectarian excesses

Its content reaches millions of young people and minors. Lifestyle influencer Ophenya is today accused of sectarian excesses.

The 24-year-old videographer says she is a “reference in terms of mental health for young people”, and is particularly committed against harassment at school and on social networks. But the influencer with millions of subscribers on social networks is also very controversial. To the point of being reported to justice by the interministerial mission to combat sectarian aberrations. This is what the channel revealed BFMTV November 19th.

Also read: influencer Léna Situations attacked by a deputy over her latest Youtube video.

The influencer accused of sectarian excesses

The content of Ophenya, aimed particularly at young girls, poses problems. Several associations denounce “an unhealthy proximity to its subscribers”. The “Meer” collective (Ethical Minors and Networks), which fights for the protection of children online, criticizes Ophenya for “manipulate your young audience to the point of creating a codependent relationship”says BFMTV.

These accusations are worrying, especially since we know that girls and women are doubly targeted by sectarian groups.

In the television channel’s report, several parents bear witness to and denounce daily lives and private messages sent by the influencer to young minors, in the middle of the night. An example? “Good night my love, I love you”.

At the beginning of November, his TikTok account with 4.8 million subscribers was also banned from the social network for having “violates the rules of the platform”. In question? The young woman had invited a minor child to join the screen during one of her lives.

A report from Miviludes (interministerial mission of vigilance and fight against sectarian aberrations) is currently being studied by the Paris prosecutor’s office. The young woman’s lawyer said she did not know the content of the report and did not want to comment.

Accused of being a guru, Ophenya reacts

BFMTV already mentioned this affair at the beginning of the month, and wondered if the influencer was not a “guru 2.0”. In response to these accusations, the influencer published a video on YouTube (where she has nearly 700,000 subscribers) on November 9. She denounced false information shared by the TV channel. “These videos are nothing but defamation”she affirmed. “Yes, I have an engaged community and I’m proud of it,” “but if people have decided to follow me it’s because they identify.”

In her video, she also denounced a relentlessness “without tangible evidence” as well as an incomplete investigation, which does not mention its actions in favor of child victims of harassment or cyber-harassment. “My content is based on humor, mutual aid and kindness”… “You don’t put the spotlight on the real struggles”she protested. Since then, the young woman has opened a new account on TikTok, and continues to publish videos daily on her various networks.