Angry fans have wielded a “digital guillotine” to block their activities on social media and streaming platforms. The backlash is happening to celebrities who have chosen to remain silent about the Gaza crisis and are currently feeling the war.
Taylor Swift, Drake, and many other celebrities have been targeted by the “Blockout 2024” movement. The movement began on TikTok in response to a perceived disconnect between the glamor of the Met Gala and the harsh reality of the Israel-Gaza conflict.
In recent months, pro-Palestinian activists have flooded the comments sections of social media sites, calling on stars to join them in calling for a ceasefire in Gaza's deadliest war.
But after last week's Met Gala, fashion's biggest night featuring glitzy fundraisers and A-list stars from film, theater, sports and the world's runways, things came to a head.
Wearing a gorgeous dress, influencer Hailey Khalil lip-synced the message “Let me eat cake” on TikTok. The phrase is famously associated with Marie Antoinette and symbolizes the callous disregard for the poor of the French aristocracy in the 18th century.
Fellow TikTokker who started the movement, ladyfromtheoutside, responded, “It's time for people to do what we like to call the digital guillotine, digitalization,” referring to the execution device used during the French Revolution.
“Take our opinions, our likes, our comments, our money,” she urged.
Influencer Hailey Khalil received backlash after posting a video of her lip-syncing to “Let Me Eat Cake'' on TikTok.Photo: Associated Press
Her message has been taken as a rallying cry for the pro-Palestinian movement, and early signs suggest the boycott may be having an impact.
Reality star Kim Kardashian has lost hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers in recent days after attending a ball in New York, according to analytics website Social Blade.
Taylor Swift, the global music superstar who chooses to focus on her Elas tour Instead of appearing at events, he lost more than 200,000 followers since last Thursday.
“This is about life and justice. If she can rally us all to vote, she has the power to speak out against injustice.” A TikTokker who identifies herself as a woman said it's time to block, unfollow and stop streaming her idols.
It's unclear whether this move is a direct cause of social media hits by some celebrities, or whether other trends are at play.
Moreover, Natasha Lindstedt, a professor at the University of Essex who studies celebrity activity, said the losses could be short-term.
“Sometimes people make decisions based on their emotional response to an issue, and if the celebrity isn't on the same side…they may decide they don't want to follow them anymore, but it takes a little while. ” she says. .
This phenomenon is known in academic circles as “lazyism,” and refers to the use of low-stakes online behavior, such as posting a meme or liking a post, or choosing to unfollow your favorite star, as a way of turning meaningful politics into meaningful politics. The idea is to replace it with personal involvement.
Celebrities may find it wiser to wait out the backlash rather than react, especially given the sensitive nature of the Israel-Gaza conflict, which has proven dangerous for many stars.
Celebrities should be able to make decisions without scrutiny
Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon was fired from her talent agency UTA after speaking at a pro-Palestinian rally in November.
More recently, Jerry Seinfeld, long a politically apathetic celebrity model, has faced criticism for deepening his ties to Israel.
The backlash against the Jewish comedian intensified after reports that his wife Jessica had donated to a pro-Israel counter-protester group at UCLA, where violence erupted against pro-Palestinian protesters.
She later wrote on Instagram that she supports the peaceful rally from a few days ago and does not support or participate in any acts of violence.
David Jackson, a professor at Bowling Green State University who studies how stars' political positions affect their approval ratings, told Agence France-Presse: “The history of celebrity political involvement dates back more than 100 years.'' It goes all the way back,” he said. America. “
However, the advent of social media has made it easier for people to develop “parasocial” relationships with stars, essentially one-way relationships that feel mutual.
“You have a network of people that you follow, some of whom you know, some of whom are famous, and I think sometimes that line gets blurred,” Jackson said. he said.
When a celebrity takes a stand you don't approve of, or doesn't take a stand at all, that false sense of familiarity compounds the feeling of betrayal.
