Dashcon Harassment Timeline: Five-Year Misunderstanding

What Actually Happened
Me reaching out (and them responding after the video came out)
The post that led me to believe this was Lochlan I was speaking to
My mistake in research and the deeper blog post
Exchange clarifications
What’s Happening Now
Update from March 8
March 9
March 10, 2025
Closing thoughts

---

What Actually Happened

I feel it's necessary to address a situation that has periodically resurfaced over the past five years regarding my research for the Dashcon video I made in 2020, which has recently escalated to concerning levels.

In 2020, while researching Dashcon, I tried to contact who I believed was Lochlan O’Neil (the person who originally came up with the idea for the con) through a blog where someone had responded to a Tumblr message addressed to "Lochlan" without correction. The most recent post on their blog at that time showed someone calling them "Lochlan" with no indication this was incorrect. Based on this, I believed I was contacting the right person.

Me reaching out (and them responding after the video came out):

The post that led me to believe this was Lochlan I was speaking to:

The person I contacted didn't respond until after my video was published. From my perspective at that time, I had tried to reach out to Lochlan, but received no response before publication. I want to be clear: missing the "I'm not affiliated with Dashcon" post deeper in the blog was my mistake. But it was just that— a mistake. There would be absolutely no logical reason for me to deliberately avoid contacting Lochlan while pretending I had. What would I possibly gain from that? The simpler explanation is the truth: I made a good-faith effort to reach who I thought was Lochlan, based on what I saw on the blog at the time.

When the actual Lochlan raised concerns that I hadn't contacted them, I was initially confused because, again, I thought emoticon-indy was Lochlan:

Here’s the exchange where I am speaking to Lochlan and trying to figure out what happened, and where Lochlan explained that emoticon-indy was someone else:

Lochlan clarified it was likely a misunderstanding on the anonymous asker's part, and I thought the confusion was cleared up at that point. I was definitely not trying to lie to Lochlan and say someone stole their identity; this was just me trying to understand the confusing situation where someone was being called Lochlan without correcting it and me still not understanding what was going on. This was a genuine research error on my part that I have always been transparent about.

Me reaching out (and them responding after the video came out)

The post that led me to believe this was Lochlan I was speaking to:

When the actual Lochlan raised concerns that I hadn't contacted them, I was initially confused because, again, I thought emoticon-indy was Lochlan:

Here’s the exchange where I am speaking to Lochlan and trying to figure out what happened, and where Lochlan explained that emoticon-indy was someone else:

The post that led me to believe this was Lochlan I was speaking to

The post that led me to believe this was Lochlan I was speaking to:

When the actual Lochlan raised concerns that I hadn't contacted them, I was initially confused because, again, I thought emoticon-indy was Lochlan:

Here’s the exchange where I am speaking to Lochlan and trying to figure out what happened, and where Lochlan explained that emoticon-indy was someone else:

My mistake in research and the deeper blog post

When the actual Lochlan raised concerns that I hadn't contacted them, I was initially confused because, again, I thought emoticon-indy was Lochlan:

Here’s the exchange where I am speaking to Lochlan and trying to figure out what happened, and where Lochlan explained that emoticon-indy was someone else:

...

What’s Happening Now

What’s particularly troubling is that after what appeared to be a resolved misunderstanding in 2020, Lochlan has repeatedly created content about me over the past five years. Despite no provocation or contact from me, they have:

Made multiple videos over the years characterizing me as having "refused" to contact them, or saying I tried to make them believe they were being impersonated
Seemingly actively searched for and commented on posts critical of me, including claiming I "lied" about contacting them
Most recently, called me a "major bitch" in a video and claimed I made "mean tweets" about them
Repeatedly brought up this incident to their growing audience, often with increasingly harsh characterizations (this video from 2021 is a lot more charitable, and yet despite no further action from me this has somehow warped into me being a bitch to them)

The only time I’ve publicly addressed this situation after that was in 2021, in a Twitter thread where I simply clarified what happened. This is the thread that I think Lochlan is referring to in their most recent video, where they said I posted mean tweets attacking them. In that thread, I explained the exact same facts: that I messaged a blog I believed to be Lochlan's, that they didn't respond until after my video was published, and that it was a misunderstanding based on seeing someone address the blog owner as "Lochlan" without correction.

For transparency, an archived version of this thread can be found here. There were no "mean tweets" or attacks (at least I don’t think so?)— just a straightforward explanation of a mistake.

Five years later, I find myself still being periodically mentioned in videos characterizing me as having refused to contact Lochlan, deliberately lied to my audience about contacting them, lied about someone impersonating them, or being mean toward them. These characterizations are simply not accurate.

What’s particularly concerning now is the scale and nature of this harassment:

Lochlan's most recent video alone has received over 100,000 views and counting
The comments on their videos were initially full of personal insults about my demeanour and work, and also include bizarre false claims about my videos (like a comment with nearly 300 likes stating I made negative comments about gay trans men for “sexualizing gay men” when I have never said anything like that ever)
These comments have now escalated to mentioning my real-life job(!!) in what feels like implicit threats to my privacy and livelihood
These comments coming very close to doxxing me, and calling me things like an "awful awful person" or a “bitch” remain unmoderated, despite Lochlan's stated concerns about creators being responsible for how their audiences behave (in Lochlan’s words, “I believe the actions of a content creator’s fan base directly reflect the kind of person that creator is, and the kind of values they hold”).

In reality:

I did attempt to contact who I believed was Lochlan
When I realized my mistake, I acknowledged it immediately
I have not made any public statements about Lochlan in the past five years (except the clarification thread in 2021)
I have never encouraged anyone to send negative comments to Lochlan and would never ever condone that kind of behaviour.

I want to be vulnerable for a moment about how this feels. To be periodically subjected to waves of harassment over a simple research mistake from five years ago is deeply distressing. Having strangers discuss my character, make assumptions about my intentions, and even reference my real-life job when I’ve been intentionally private about my IRL identity creates significant anxiety. This isn't about a content disagreement anymore—it's affecting my sense of safety and wellbeing.

I have no interest in an ongoing conflict. I made a genuine research mistake five years ago, acknowledged it immediately, and have moved on. I would respectfully ask that Lochlan consider doing the same, and importantly, please take responsibility for moderating comments that cross the line into harassment or threats to my privacy.

I believe we can all agree that everyone deserves basic safety and respect online, regardless of past misunderstandings. I remain committed to that principle in my own conduct, and I hope others will do the same.

I will not be addressing this matter further, as continuing to discuss it only perpetuates a cycle that benefits no one.

Update from March 8:

It has come to my attention that Lochlan is aware of this response and is actively engaging with the comment section of their video. In a recent exchange, they replied to someone claiming there were no hate comments about me, demonstrating they are monitoring the discussion:

Despite this active engagement with the comments, as of March 8th Lochlan has not deleted at least one comment that references my real-life job— information that makes my personal identity easily discoverable. While I don't believe Lochlan has encouraged harassment directly, the fact that they are reading and engaging with these comments while choosing not to moderate ones that directly compromise my privacy is concerning.

Lochlan, if you're reading this: I'm genuinely asking you to please moderate comments that attempt to reveal my personal information. This isn't about our disagreement or the past misunderstanding— it's about basic online safety. No creator should want their platform to be used in ways that could lead to doxxing, regardless of how they feel about the person being discussed. I would do the same for you without hesitation.

March 9:

I’m very sorry, but I need to update this document again. Not only is Lochlan aware of the comment exposing my personal information, they are now responding to these comments and keeping them up.

This is deeply troubling as it shows they are fully aware of comments that risk my privacy and are choosing to platform and validate them rather than remove them. This moves beyond passive negligence into active participation in discussions about my real-life identity.

For someone who has expressed concerns about creator responsibility and audience behaviour, this decision to engage with rather than moderate comments about my personal life demonstrates an exceptionally worrying double standard.

Update (March 10, 2025):

As far as I can see on my end, it appears Lochlan has deleted the comments containing references to my personal details. I really appreciate this, since protecting privacy should be a priority for all creators. While I do admit that an acknowledgment or apology would have been meaningful, the removal of the comments is the most important outcome and I thank them for acting. I hope and request that any similar future comments be deleted as well.

I want to be clear that I've never intended to cause harm to anyone, and I genuinely believe the same is true for Lochlan. We are both real people with lives beyond our online presence, deserving of basic dignity and respect.

To anyone who has supported me through this: thank you, and please do not contact Lochlan or leave rude or harassing comments on their videos. The best support you can show me is to engage positively with my work and help maintain a respectful online environment for everyone. Allow them to focus on their work just as I'd like to focus on mine.

This is a philosophy I've consistently tried to espouse in my videos about online interactions over the years, and if you enjoy and have taken anything meaningful from those videos then I strongly ask that you extend that same respect to everyone involved here.

I'll leave this document up as a record of the factual timeline of events. Unless there are significant new developments, I consider this matter addressed and am focusing my energy on making vids and connecting with my community in positive ways.

I hope we can all remember that behind every username and video is a person with feelings, concerns, and a life beyond what we see online. I wish everyone involved peace and well-being moving forward.

I will not be addressing this matter further, as continuing to discuss it only perpetuates a cycle that benefits no one.

Update from March 8:

March 9:

I’m very sorry, but I need to update this document again. Not only is Lochlan aware of the comment exposing my personal information, they are now responding to these comments and keeping them up.

Update (March 10, 2025):

March 10, 2025

Closing thoughts

I will not be addressing this matter further, as continuing to discuss it only perpetuates a cycle that benefits no one. I remain committed to basic safety and respect online, and I encourage others to engage with work in a thoughtful, constructive manner. If you have supported me through this, I appreciate it and ask that you keep conversations focused on the work and avoid targeting individuals for online harassment or doxxing. The goal is a healthier online environment for everyone involved.

Images and media references

Image references appear inline in the original document as screenshots and quoted passages. See the main body for the exact placements and captions accompanying each image. For accessibility and SEO, each image has descriptive alt text and, where relevant, a caption explaining its context within the timeline.

References and notes

Archived versions of related threads were mentioned as part of transparency disclosures. The exact URLs or archive links are not included in this document excerpt, but references indicate where such archival material can be found.

Author's note on privacy

The author emphasizes a commitment to privacy and a call for responsible moderation in online spaces, underscoring a desire to prevent doxxing and harassment while maintaining open, transparent discussion about past misunderstandings. The tone remains focused on safety, respect, and constructive dialogue going forward.

Personal commitments and safety

The author commits to not engaging in harassment and to promoting a respectful online environment.
They acknowledge the impact of public accusations on personal wellbeing and stress the importance of moderation by content creators to curb harassment.
They request that readers avoid contacting Lochlan directly or leaving harassing comments, emphasizing support through constructive engagement with the author’s work.

Final remarks

The document concludes with a reaffirmation of the belief that both parties are real people with lives beyond online activity and a request for peace and well-being for all involved. The author expresses gratitude to supporters and reiterates a commitment to positive community-building online.