Questions are being asked about the motives of the mother of the Tennesee boy whose video on his experiences of being bullied went viral, eliciting words of support from celebrities around the world.
Kimberly Jones posted the video - which has attracted more than 22 million views - saying her 11-year-old son Keaton asked for it to be recorded after another incident of bullying.
"For the record, Keaton asked to do this AFTER he had he me pick him up AGAIN because he was afraid to go to lunch," she wrote at the time.
Photos have since surfaced of Ms Jones holding a Confederate flag and US singers Rihanna and Chris Brown have since removed their original posts supporting Keaton.
The flag is seen by some as a symbol of racism after it was first introduced in the US Civil War by the states fighting to keep slavery legal. It has since been used by the Ku Klux Klan and white supremacists.
'It was meant to be ironic'
Ms Jones said the photo has been taken out of context and was not intended to be racist.
“We’re not racist, people who know us know that. It was meant to be ironic and funny and extreme," she told US broadcaster ABC News.
"I am genuinely, truly sorry. If I could take it back, I would."
The photo was posted on Facebook on August 25.
"Dear butt hurt Americans," the post reads.
"If you aren’t bleeding, no bones are sticking out & and you can breathe, STOP crying!
"For the love, some folks clearly never picked a switch. And before y’all start talking to me about metaphorical, emotional, financial or historical blood & brokenness, Don’t.
"Join a group."
Ms Jones's Facebook account has since been made private.
Fake fundraising campaigns
Meanwhile, questions have also been raised over online fundraising campaigns that were purportedly set up on Keaton's behalf.
Ms Jones admits to approving one GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for Keaton but said all others purporting to do the same are fake.
She said she does not want her social media past to influence the focus on stopping the bullying "epidemic".
“If they want to hate me or whatever that's fine, but still talk to your kids because this is an epidemic. This is an epidemic,” she told ABC News.
Keaton also told the network that he asked for his mum to record and post the video to raise awareness about the impact of bullying, and not for any financial gain.
Joseph Lam's GoFundMe page exceeds its fundraising goal of $20,000. Source: Supplied
“I made the video to raise awareness of bullying, not for fame or fortune, it was not at all for that. It was to raise awareness of bullying,” he said.
It is “a serious thing that goes on in our society. People criticise other people for the way they look and act; it's not their fault.”
A spokesperson for GoFundMe said it had suspended one page and put another on hold over "fraud concerns". It said it will be working with a user named Joseph Lam, who raised US$56,166 for the bullied boy "to ensure the funds go to Keaton".
The Paypal and GoFundMe campaigns set up by unverified public Instagram account @kimberlyjones_38 have drawn criticism from social media users.
US professional mixed martial artist Joe Schilling said he was disappointed by his exchanges with the Kimberly Jones he claimed to have spoken to. He said his offer to invite Keaton to a Los Angeles event was knocked back.
"She just wants money. She just wants me to share her GoFundMe account," Schilling said in his post on Instagram.
"She said, 'Christmas is coming and I'm a single mother and blah blah blah, money is tight,' whatever. ... Make your own judgment on that."
Reaction on social media has been mixed.
Mr Lam has joined those who have urged people to continue supporting Keaton.
"THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE MOM!! However passing judgement on her before you know her is a form of bullying," he posted in an update on his GoFundMe page.
"Condemnation before evaluation is the ultimate form of ignorance. I can't even say for sure that any of whats [sic] being said is true. I don't know the family personally and never claimed to have known them. This is about a kid who's been bullied and not just one kid, Keaton, there are many unspoken cases about kids being bullied. We have to be the voice for the voiceless."
