Help! My Roommate Has a Big Following Online. She’s Using It to Blackmail Me.

Dear Prudence,

My roommate Tiffany lost her job three months ago, and since then, she’s decided that I should cover all the rent and groceries while she “figures things out.” At first, I tried to be understanding because I know unemployment can be stressful, but now it’s clear she’s just taking advantage of me. She hasn’t applied for a single job that I know of, and instead spends her days ordering takeout with my money, binge-watching TV, and posting TikToks about how hard her life is. When I finally got up the nerve to ask her when she planned to start contributing again, she went off on me, calling me selfish, privileged, and clueless about “real struggles.”

Then she threatened to put me on blast on social media if I brought it up again. Tiffany has a decent following online, and I’m terrified she’ll spin some sob story about how I’m a heartless monster kicking her while she’s down. I don’t know how to defend myself if she does that.

The thing is, I can’t keep paying for both of us. I’m barely making ends meet as it is, but every time I try to address the situation, she shuts me down and makes me feel like I’m the bad guy. I don’t want to ruin our friendship, but I also don’t want to be her doormat anymore. What should I do? Is there a way to handle this without causing a full-blown social media war?

—Terrified of Tiffany

https://slate.com/advice/2024/12/dear-prudence-roommate-blackmail.html