Renowned Valencian journalist, Maribel Vilaplana, found herself at the center of a storm after dining with Carlos Mazón, the President of the Generalitat, on October 29, as a devastating flood swept through the province. Last week, in a candid discussion on a cooking show, Vilaplana expressed how social media had inflicted significant emotional damage on her.

The cooking show, available on YouTube via the Milar-Comelsa channel, featured Vilaplana preparing a traditional borreta alcoyana alongside chef Rubén Fenollar. A native of Muro de Alcoy, Vilaplana, who also serves as the Communication and Institutional Relations Advisor for Levante UD, shared her concerns about the influence of social media on teenagers.

Vilaplana and Fenollar delved into the impact of social media on adolescents, with Vilaplana asserting, "No one is prepared to endure harassment and public shaming online, regardless of age or circumstances, which is where the real danger lies."

Throughout the program, Vilaplana voiced her worries about her children's interactions with social media. "Posting online is akin to displaying something on the school gate; if it can harm you or someone else, it shouldn't be posted," she emphasized. "This is an ethical standard that is now largely ignored," she added.

She highlighted the issue of anonymous individuals seeking ego boosts at the cost of causing others pain. "I've experienced this myself, and it can be soul-crushing," Vilaplana stated.

She further noted the necessity of mental resilience to recover from social media attacks, with chef Fenollar agreeing, "We all have moments of vulnerability when we can be targeted online."

On the day of the flood, Vilaplana reconnected with Mazón via phone in the late afternoon, urging him, "I've seen what's happening, don't drag me into this." Both Vilaplana and Mazón were unaware of the unfolding disaster outside El Ventorro until 5:37 PM, when Mazón contacted Justice and Interior Counselor Salomé Pradas.