Kristin Cabot has resigned as Astronomer’s HR officer, days after the firm’s CEO, Andy Byron, stepped down after a Coldplay concert “kiss cam” captured the two canoodling, the company said on Thursday.
Robert Okine/Getty Images/TikTok/screenshot
Why It Matters
The viral moment between Byron and Cabot has proved to be a cautionary tale in an age of increasing social media exposure and worries about privacy and the boundaries between personal and professional life.
Experts have described their viral embrace, which has amassed more than 45 million views on TikTok and millions more across different platforms, as having all the ingredients of a modern scandal.
The public scrutiny and Astronomer’s response also reflect increasing demand for accountability among top executives, particularly when personal conduct intersects with workplace dynamics.
What To Know
Footage from the July 16 concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, showed Byron standing behind Cabot with his arms around her.
When they realized they were on camera, they quickly sprang apart and ducked out of the camera’s view. The footage quickly went viral, with the original video amassing more than 45 million views on TikTok and millions more in reposts across other platforms.
Taylor Jones, director of communications at Astronomer, confirmed to Newsweek that Cabot had stepped down days after Byron left the company.
“Yes, I can confirm that Kristin Cabot is no longer with Astronomer. She has resigned,” Jones said, providing no details.
Byron resigned after the company deemed he had failed to meet its standards in “conduct and accountability,” the firm said on Saturday. A representative for Astronomer said that Byron had tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors had accepted it.
Los Angeles entertainment attorney Tre Lovell told Newsweek that Byron has no legal recourse against the band or venue for showing his image on the big screen.
“When you are out in public, you have no right to privacy for your actions. People are free to photograph you and video you,” Lovell said.
What People Are Saying
Natalie Trice, publicist and founder of Natalie Trice Publicity, told Newsweek: “What makes the perfect viral moment in 2025 is the trifecta: emotional charge and status drama and ambiguity.”
Lovell added: “People are aware they are in public and need to govern their conduct accordingly. It’s difficult for someone who is cheating or doing something immoral in public to then get mad at the public seeing him or her do it.”
What Happens Next
The intense scrutiny of the couple should raise awareness of rights and responsibilities when it comes to public actions.