TikTok star Alix Earle apologized Monday for a post she wrote when she was 13 years old in which she used a swear word to insult black people.

Miami-based Earle, now 23, used the language in posts on the website ask.fm in 2014. In a message she shared to her Instagram and TikTok stories, Earle said she didn’t understand “the deeply offensive meaning” behind the slur at the time.

“That is no excuse to use that word in any context or at any age. That is absolutely not the way I speak or what I stand for,” Earle wrote. “I am deeply sorry that my words have hurt many and led people to believe that I have prejudice in my heart.”

The creator, who rose to popularity in 2023 while still a student at the University of Miami, has over 7 million followers on TikTok and over 3 million followers on Instagram. She rose to fame as the platform’s “it girl,” sharing personal details about her life, including viral “get ready with me” videos and her acne journey. She’s since been featured as the cover star of Sports Illustrated’s first digital issue and is ranked No. 8 on Rolling Stone’s 2024 list of Most Influential Creators.

A spokesman for Earle did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Her apology came after people online pointed to screenshots of Earle’s old posts, which were shared on Reddit two years ago. In recent days, some of Earle’s followers have asked her to comment on the old posts.

There were at least four posts from when Earle was 13, screenshots of which were shared two years ago. It is unclear whether Earle still has an ask.fm account, and it is also unclear whether the posts are accessible to this day. Earle does not appear to have used the term in any other media.

She’s one of several white influencers — including Brooke Schofield earlier this month — who have been called out for their past racist comments and subsequently apologized. Many Black creators have previously expressed exhaustion over the frequency with which white creators are exposed for past racist comments, and how quickly those creators are forgiven by non-Black fans. Some shared that they believe white influencers often don’t understand how harmful their past comments are.

Earle expressed regret for how she handled her initial lack of response, pointing to the two years since the reports began circulating, saying she let “too many people” pressure her into saying something.

“There is no one to blame but myself for not taking a stand and not trusting my gut to give my opinion right away,” she said.

Earle also slammed rumors circulating online that she had attempted to trademark her old tweets and had lost brand deals.

“By not responding to this, my silence allowed others to fill the void with rumors that are simply not true,” she wrote.