Addison Rae, a TikTok star, broke down in tears as she addressed the relentless hostility she has received on social media.

The 19-year-old, who is the platform’s second most popular performer after Charli D’Amelio, took to Instagram to respond to the abuse she’s faced in recent months.

“I think people are so misunderstood, especially on the internet,” Rae added. “There’s people that get portrayed a certain way, or people just attack them for things that aren’t necessarily true, or right. And you never really know what’s going on.”

“Everyone struggles with different things and just because someone has different struggle than you doesn’t make it any less worth talking about or any less paying attention to,” she explained.

“I’m gonna be honest, it does get to me,” she continued. “There are moments when I read things about myself, and I read comments and I read things like that… I can’t sit here and act like has never affected me, because it has.”

‘You are beautiful, you are so loved…,’ she said to her fans. ‘I want to let you know that I’m listening and I’m here for you and I love you and you should never change.’

She has a following of more than 60 million (Picture: Getty)

Rae even shed a few tears at the end of her broadcast, demonstrating how deeply the criticism has affected her; nonetheless, despite the numerous comments expressing support for the TikToker, her stream has sparked the ire of haters.

Rae talked to Entertainment Tonight earlier this month about “the negativity” of being a TikTok star.

“Just dealing with the fact that there are gonna be people that just don’t like you, and will always have something negative to say about you. But there are so many good parts about this industry, and the social media world, that it kind of just outweighs it. At the end of the day, I have to look at the positive and not look at the negative. And the positive has brought me so many great things,” she said.

Rae also claimed that having a close relationship with her family has helped her stay optimistic in the face of relentless criticism.

“They’re here. They’re supporting me. They love me. I’ve done so many great things in such a short amount of time, and I think it’s just always about stepping back, appreciating everything you have and everything you receive. And really just thanking everyone around you and appreciating them and their time too,” she told Entertainment Tonight.

Addison has received backlash in recent months, especially for an Instagram post she made during the global Black Lives Matter marches in the aftermath of George Floyd’s killing.

She apologized and promised to continue learning.