HR Executive Speaks Out After Viral Coldplay Concert Video

An HR executive who became the subject of widespread online attention after a viral Coldplay concert video has spoken publicly about the personal and professional consequences she says followed the incident.

Kristin Cabot, formerly the chief people officer at tech company Astronomer, told The New York Times that she has faced ongoing harassment, threats, and difficulty finding work since the video circulated online in July.

The footage, filmed at a Coldplay concert in Massachusetts, showed Cabot embracing then-CEO Andy Byron on a stadium screen. Both attempted to hide from the camera, prompting a remark from the band’s lead singer that helped propel the clip across social media platforms. The video was viewed millions of times and quickly became a meme.

Cabot said the attention did not fade for her once the internet moved on. She described receiving threatening messages, being doxxed, and fielding hundreds of calls daily at the height of the backlash. She also said the scrutiny affected her children, who became fearful and reluctant to attend school activities.

Following the incident, Byron resigned from Astronomer and Cabot later stepped down from her role. She told the newspaper she has struggled to re-enter the workforce, saying she has been told she is “unemployable.”