Billboard Receives Backlash After Posting ‘Disgusting’ Tweet About Kim Kardashian’s Daughter, North West

Kim Kardashian Kanye West — A photo caption of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian's 2-year-old daughter has Twitter users outraged. Pictured: West and Kardashian at the Rihanna Party at The New York Edition on Sept. 10, 2015 in New York City. Getty

Billboard is in some hot water Friday morning after tweeting a photo of Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West’s daughter, North West. Twitter users are calling the outlet’s caption of the 2 year old “disgusting” and “trash.”

At 8 a.m. on Friday Billboard shared the following tweet:

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree... https://t.co/OdeEaTmY6O pic.twitter.com/DnflSujn2A
— billboard (@billboard) October 30, 2015

The photo caption states, “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree …” Followers of the outlet are calling the text “indecent” for “insinuating anything sexual.” Readers immediately began to comment on the post, demanding that Billboard delete the tweet.

What’s further disturbing is that the link to the article accompanying the tweet is about Kim and Kanye's young daughter telling paparazzi not to take photos. A video embedded in the story features North West being brought to dance class when she relays the message to the photographers: “I said no pictures.”

Based on Kanye West’s history with the paparazzi – like his run in with one paparazzi member in July 2013 at Los Angeles International airport – a photo caption about North West’s desire for no photos makes sense. However, people are upset about the outlet's decision to use an image of the child licking a lollipop along with the caption that Billboard chose.

Check out the tweets below:

This tweet/pic are reprehensible @billboard. Stop exploiting children for clicks. https://t.co/jozZbfBMD5
— Drew Emmick (@drewmellow) October 30, 2015

@billboard #NOPE. Delete this tweet immediately, and then delete the employee who wrote it.
— Ann Marie (@annmariebrok) October 30, 2015

@billboard What a disgusting piece of click bait. Whether or not the article relates anything indecent, the insinuation is vile #shameonyou
— Jessica Rose (@Jessticulator) October 30, 2015

Why not use an actual photo from the story that you're posting about @billboard? Extremely problematic.
— Air-IN with an E (@AirInDanYell) October 30, 2015

@billboard wow, seriously?! Disgusting
— pitythedeadmeat (@pitythebackseat) October 30, 2015

@billboard she's a child she's a child she's a child she's a child she's a child she's a child she's a child she's a child she's a child
— Zola (@SharnTM) October 30, 2015

Billboard has since removed the tweet and issued a statement:

We apologize for the tweet involving North West. The caption was about her comments to paparazzi. The suggestion some see was not intended.
— billboard (@billboard) October 30, 2015

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