In the wake of the ongoing war in the Middle East, social media users have taken to their accounts to threaten blocking celebrities who aren’t using their platforms to speak out against Israel’s breakout attacks in Gaza.
Termed ‘The Blockout 2024’, the exertion was implemented two days after the world’s most prestigious and glamorous fashion event, “Met Gala” took place, graced by notable figures in the fashion and entertainment industry worldwide. Users, since then, have begun to unfollow celebrities who, instead of adding their voice to the fight for ‘Peace’, are flaunting the latest fashion trends and expanding their fleet, among other things.
“Block them until they support Palestine. We control celebrities’ money, their currency is our attention and data.” said one user in a video shared by the account TRT World.
According to users, celebrities attending the high-profile fashion event while Israel ramped up its bombardment on Gaza’s Rafah is stern.
“These people are living in a different plane of reality than the rest of us. They aren’t even affected by the same political and economic issues that matter to us because rich people will always have to circumvent them,” stressed the account ‘@climate.revolution’.
Topping the list of celebrities unanimously selected to be blocked were American media personalities and socialites: Kim Kardashian, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Selena Gomez, and Taylor Swift, among others.
“I don’t know why people are still following celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Justin ‘Fever’,” asked ‘@peaches’.
On the other hand, User ‘@littleyeg’ says her reason for blocking Justin Beiber is, “I will never forget that he accidentally posted a picture of Gaza and said ‘Standing with Israel’.”
While some may argue that celebrities should stick to their craft and stay out of politics, the reality is that their influence extends far beyond the entertainment industry. Celebrities often seen as role models, especially by younger generations, have the ability, through their words and actions, to make a profound impact on social issues.
By speaking up, celebrities can raise awareness and inspire their fans to take action in their communities. The consensus is that they should use their privilege and platform to amplify marginalised voices and advocate for change.
One notable example is Colin Kaepernick, the former NFL player who, a few years ago, knelt during the National Anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality. His actions ignited a nationwide debate and brought attention to the issue in a significant way.
Additionally, during the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, many celebrities took to social media to express their support and amplify the voices of activists. Beyoncé, for example, released a powerful video calling for justice for George Floyd and highlighting the importance of voting in local elections.
The sentiment to block these celebrities now, according to TikToker ‘Valkyrie_Maiden’, comes as a 2D chess game to disrupt the ‘ad’ (advertisement) revenue these influencers gain from their pages. Thus, they are urging followers to block everyone deemed a culprit, even when they weren’t following them.
“Imagine what they would do if we no longer followed celebrities and funded their lifestyles? A ticket to the Met Gala is $75,000, and many families can’t afford groceries,” reckoned one netizen.
Formerly a platform where users shared viral dances and comedic skits, TikTok has now evolved into an activism platform where people voice opinions on social issues and drive meaningful change.
By press time, Kim Kardashian’s following had allegedly dropped by 3 million followers, while Kris Jenner was ‘crying and flipping out’ over the same.
However, followers from the African continent have called upon their countrymen to stay out of ‘international issues’ and instead focus on theirs, citing examples of Congo and Sudan, where peace hasn’t prevailed in a long time.
“Africans, I don’t think this is our battle because we have issues going on, and nobody speaks for us,” said one account.
