Since YouTube’s inception, Los Angeles native Justine Ezarik — better known as iJustine — has remained a mainstay of the platform.
As Connor Perrett from Insider so appropriately put it, she “had influence online years before the term ‘influencer’ was added to the dictionary and before becoming one was kids’ dream job.”
Much of iJustine’s earlier YouTube content is characterized by music video parodies, two-minute vlogs and Apple-related discussions. Her over-the-top obsession with the technology company and its co-founder, the late Steve Jobs, has fascinated users on TikTok who have satirized her uploads.
One TikTok showed iJustine walking into an Apple store and high-fiving ecstatic employees with the caption: “apple employees cheering for ijustine after finding out that she’s about to make them out of stock.”
Another post shared her decorating a mini Christmas tree with iPhones, and its caption read: “Imagine being so rich that you decorate a tree with iPhones 💔”
However, the video that caught my attention and caused my head to start spinning involved fellow YouTuber Linus Tech Tips receiving a tour of iJustine’s “nerdy” studio house. While inspecting a Steve Jobs-inspired plush toy, he jokingly asked his host if she understood why the now-deceased tech mogul found her creepy.
“I deserved the restraining order, to be honest with you,” iJustine replied.
The Obsession with Steve Jobs & His Creations
iJustine’s penchant for Apple products started quite some time ago. According to Perrett, iJustine found her niche once she received her first iPod in 2002. This moment planted the seed for her love for the company and its co-creator.
In a January 2007 video, iJustine discussed her alleged “encounter” with Jobs at a Macworld event.
“Today, Steve Jobs proposed to me at the keynote,” she joked. “You know, I know he’s really busy with the iPhone thing, but he stopped and said, ‘Justine, will you marry me?’”
iJustine’s YouTube content that touched upon her fixation with Apple and Jobs was lighthearted; in most of her videos, she laughed about her preoccupation with the corporation and supposed closeness with its creator. In December 2010, iJustine shared a “storytime” video of her brief meeting with the business magnate in the Apple cafeteria.
Once she locked eyes with Jobs, she said, “He gathered all of his Tupperware containers and quickly ran away.”
As he made his way toward the exit, iJustine considered getting up from her table and chasing after Jobs. Nonetheless, she decided to remain in her seat and continue eating her food.
The following year, the tone of her videos took a sharp turn once Jobs resigned from Apple due to the deterioration of his health. The moment iJustine discovered that he had succumbed to pancreatic cancer, she burst into tears, pulled out her iPhone and decided to film her immediate reaction. Not only did her emotional response to his passing garner millions of views, but it also triggered unflattering and ferocious feedback from the media.
iJustine’s memoir, aptly titled “I, Justine,” shined a light on some of the strange and negative press she received due to her viral YouTube post.
“I was … wearing leather boots in the video, which at some point rubbed together underneath the table I was sitting at, creating a rather unfortunate sound, which became a rather unfortunate headline: ‘iJustine Farts After Death of Steve Jobs,’” she explained. “If I hadn’t been so depressed at the time, it would’ve been funny, I guess.”
The So-Called Restraining Order
For years now, people online had speculated and joked that Jobs had taken out a restraining order against iJustine — even before TikTok users created memes out of her content.
In November 2010, one account holder tweeted, “@ijustine i’m doing a project on steve jobs! are you jealous that i can do that without getting a restraining order! HAHAHA just kidding.. :P”
Later that month, in preparation for one of her Q&As, subscriber Dave Edwards tweeted at the content creator and asked her if Jobs seriously issued a restraining order against her.
Despite the rumors spreading around the internet, their truth remains unknown. No reputable sources have reported on Jobs obtaining any restraining order or stalking report against iJustine. Generally, she has given mixed messages when asked about the topic.
When the allegations came up during her interview with Perrett, iJustine laughed and answered that she could not “confirm or deny” them. Additionally, she admitted that toward the beginning of her YouTube career, she portrayed an “extended version” of herself “who was obviously super crazy.”
Therefore, readers can understand where iJustine’s distinctive reputation originates. Despite the unclear veracity of the restraining order claims and her statements to Insider, the public still believes she ran into legal issues with Jobs.
iJustine’s Life After Apple
To this day, iJustine produces YouTube videos centered around technology; however, she now provides reviews and performs demos of all the newest products, not just for Apple. Over time, she has become a fan of merchandise from other conglomerates like Microsoft, Samsung and Sony.
In addition, iJustine now seems to acknowledge the peculiarity of her past content, but she still has pride in it all.
“A lot of that stuff, I’ve always wanted to make private because they are clearly incredibly embarrassing,” she told Insider. “I’ve always just like left them there because it really feels like a piece of history and it shows: Okay, I started here, I went here, and it kind of shows that journey.”
Even though she has expanded her horizons and developed her online persona, iJustine’s attachment to Apple stays strong.
