Dean Clifford was born with a rare skin condition and recently opened up about how cruel people can be online.
The internet is amazing in a lot of ways. These days, we can reach our loved ones with the click of a button, keep in touch with friends in different states or countries, listen to music whenever we want, read the news on our phones, and follow our favorite celebrities on social media.
But while the internet makes life easier and better in some ways, it also has some serious downsides – something Australian-born Dean Clifford, 46, has unfortunately experienced firsthand.
Clifford was born with a rare skin condition called Epidermolysis Bullosa. The condition causes persistent blisters, tears, and wounds on the skin. Most people affected by the condition do not live beyond the age of 30. When Clifford was born, doctors reportedly told his parents he would not make it past the age of 5 – but he beat the odds.
Epidermolysis Bullosa
He does not let the condition limit his life and makes sure to spend time doing the things he enjoys. Unfortunately, people have not always been kind to him, and after recently posting a photo of himself and his mother during a rugby league game, he was met with a wave of cruel comments.
The selfie quickly went viral, and Meta’s AI program reportedly labeled Clifford as being in a “zombie costume.” After receiving hateful comments about his appearance online, Clifford decided to speak out.
“Who would have thought posting a fun photo at a football game with my mum on Friday night would result in so many trolls finding the way my skin looks as something they can try to make fun of. Thanks Facebook #METAAI for sharing my photo without my consent and tagging my the way I look the way you did. It just goes to highlight what why Facebook is quickly becoming completely irrelevant in real life.
“But to the thousands of you who thought they were being smart or having fun at my expense here’s something you may not be aware of.”
“I hear all the whispers behind my back”
He went on to describe how he has dealt with bullying and cruel comments since he was two years old.
“Living with such a rare genetic skin condition has meant throughout my entire life, kids / adults, EVERYONE has been scared of me. People have pointed and stared to the point where they trip over themselves or walk into walls which is f****g hilarious. I hear all the whispers behind my back. I have had people try to fight me because they thought I was the weakest link. I have even had people threaten to kill me in the past.”
He continued: “Let me be clear. I do not care what you think of me. You think you can sit behind your keyboard and your comments are going to impact my life. Come say it directly to my face. Go on. I DARE YOU.
“Enjoy your pathetic small life in your parents basement or your childhood bedroom. I will continue to travel the world and live life to its absolute fullest and have a kick ass time doing it!”
Meta apologized
According to LADBible, Meta later issued a statement apologizing.
“We’re sorry to hear about Mr Clifford’s experience and sincerely apologise for any distress caused,” the technology company said.
“These prompts were generated automatically and may not always produce the results intended.
“We take this matter seriously and constantly seek feedback on our AI products and models to make them better over time.
“People can report AI-generated content they find inappropriate with our in-app reporting tools.”
