In a bold and revolutionary move, the #Blockout2024 movement has gained significant momentum, targeting celebrities who remain silent on the ongoing crisis in Gaza. This initiative is a response to the devastating conflict in the region, which has resulted in immense suffering and a staggering death toll of nearly 35,000 Palestinians. Social media users are uniting to block and unfollow celebrities and influencers who have not publicly supported Palestine, using their digital power to hold these public figures accountable.

The movement was sparked by a TikTok user known as @ladyfromtheoutside on May 9th, following the extravagant Met Gala. With a video that garnered 2.5 million views, she called for a “digital guillotine” to sever ties with affluent social figures who have not utilized their platforms to aid those in desperate need. She urged the public to strip these celebrities of views, likes, comments, and financial support by blocking them on all social media platforms.

The impact of this campaign, while still modest, is notable. According to Social Blade, a platform that monitors follower statistics across social media, Kim Kardashian lost 44,000 Instagram followers on the same day the TikTok video was posted, followed by another 123,000 the next day. Taylor Swift faced a similar fate, losing 26,000 Instagram followers on May 9th and an additional 103,000 on May 11th. Selena Gomez, who had been experiencing a decline in her Instagram following since the beginning of the month, lost 177,000 followers on May 9th.

The movement highlights the growing influence of social media users and their ability to hold public figures accountable. Despite the decrease in followers being relatively small compared to their colossal totals—Kardashian boasts 363 million followers and Swift has 283 million—the campaign serves as a powerful reminder of the public’s influence. By obstructing the path of these celebrities and influencers, individuals are attempting to diminish the value of their sponsored posts, which could have significant financial repercussions. For instance, Kardashian earns approximately $1 million for a single sponsored Instagram post. A reduced following could make companies less willing to pay such exorbitant sums for her promotional endeavors.

Experts have weighed in on the potential consequences of this movement. Eddie Bores, a distinguished professor at Northwestern University in Qatar, told Al Jazeera that social media celebrities heavily rely on their prominence and active engagement to attract and sustain lucrative advertising contracts. Brooke Erin Duffy, a communications professor at Cornell University, shared with Time that this form of boycott has the potential to weaponize the metric systems of these platforms, effectively using the platforms’ own metrics against the celebrities.

The #Blockout2024 movement is not without its critics. Some argue that it unfairly targets individuals based on their silence rather than their actions. Others believe that the movement should also focus on encouraging celebrities to take meaningful actions rather than simply making public statements. Nonetheless, the movement has sparked significant discussion and brought attention to the power dynamics at play in social media and celebrity culture.

The campaign has also inspired other actions. For instance, singer Lizzo took to TikTok to express her gratitude towards Palestinian activists and highlight various GoFundMe pages aimed at aiding Palestinians seeking refuge. However, she faced criticism for not personally covering the entire cost, with one TikTok user admonishing her to “pay the full amount or split it with three of your affluent friends.”

As the #Blockout2024 movement continues to gain traction, it serves as a reminder that the public holds significant power in the digital age. By leveraging their collective influence, social media users are demanding accountability and action from those with immense platforms. Whether this movement will lead to lasting change remains to be seen, but it undeniably underscores the evolving relationship between celebrities and their audiences in the age of social media.

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