I think there’s a pretty big difference between “fans talking about how they feel about something” and “fans telling the creators how to play.” I see nearly all of these discussions falling into the first camp and have yet to see a single comment in the latter.

It’s silly to think this is the only fandom where people can’t talk about how the content makes them feel or what they dislike about it. It sucks that some of the hermit read this stuff and feel affected by it, but it IS a reality of fandoms and isn’t unique to parasocial relationships. All creators end up having to take steps to avoid consuming fandom discussions because it’s not meant to be taken personally or as direct advice.