Social media influencer Alix Earle has refuted claims that she attempted to trademark her past racist remarks made on AskFM in 2014 in order to prevent them from being shared online. In a statement on her Instagram Story, Earle expressed regret for the “deeply offensive” slur she used and acknowledged that she should have released a statement earlier. She addressed speculation on TikTok and Reddit regarding her legal team allegedly warning individuals who repost her racist comments about trademark infringement. “By not addressing this sooner, my silence allowed rumors to proliferate that are simply untrue. One rumor is that I sought to trademark my old posts, which is completely absurd,” Earle stated. She also dismissed rumors about a brand supposedly severing ties with her, emphasizing that no discussions about a partnership had ever taken place.
Recently, podcasters Jessi Smiles and Lily Marston claimed they received a message from Earle’s legal team alleging copyright violations related to content on their podcast subreddit, which they stated they do not control. Marston remarked that the email accused them of multiple legal infractions, including money laundering. “People had posted screenshots of [the comments] in our subreddit, and her lawyer asserted they hold a trademark to that,” Smiles added. While Earle does own a trademark for her name, it remains unclear whether this trademark applies to her name appearing in the original screenshots or if it pertains specifically to the screenshots themselves.