A waitress from Connecticut found herself at the center of a social media firestorm and subsequently lost her job after posting what many deemed a racist joke about Indian Uber drivers on X, formerly Twitter.
On December 28, 2024, a user identified only as “Han” shared two contrasting selfies on X—one showing her smiling, another frowning—with the caption: “When the Uber says it’s on the way vs. when it says it’s an Indian male driver.” The post quickly went viral, accumulating over 9 million views and drawing widespread criticism for its discriminatory nature.
Consequences
The backlash escalated beyond social media criticism when internet users allegedly revealed Han’s personal information, a practice known as “doxxing.” According to Han’s recent update on X, this online controversy ultimately led to her termination from her position as a waitress.
“I guess doxxing me and harassing my family wasn’t enough, the moment has come where I have been fired from my job because of the joke I tweeted on here,” she wrote. “Kind of insane that a couple seriously insecure people can actually take your job from you over something so dumb! Is this the part where I get famous and start going on podcasts!?”
Following her termination, supporters suggested Han seek assistance from X owner Elon Musk, citing his previous statements about protecting users who face employment consequences due to their posts on the platform. Han, who is posting under the handle @hannaahhn, has indicated she intends to pursue the matter with X’s support team.
This incident highlights the growing intersection between social media behavior and professional consequences, as well as the ongoing debate about free speech and accountability in the digital age.