Blocking social media influencers on the internet has always been normal—almost everyone does it whenever they think someone, or their content doesn’t seem relevant to them or is harmful for them.
But recently, things have started to take a more serious turn as social media users move to block celebrities who have not spoken about the ongoing humanitarian crisis and genocide in Gaza and other Palestinian territories. People have also become more vocal in calling out different celebrities for not using their influence to good use.
The online movement, now known as the ‘digital guillotine’, and was coined as such by TikTok creator @ladyfromtheoutside, grew to fruition during the 2024 Met Gala, with famous A-listers such as Zendaya, Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Kendall Jenner, Jennifer Lopez, and more in attendance. Simultaneously as the Met Gala was going on, Rafah was bombarded by Israeli occupation forces, with civilians told to evacuate and leave.
what is #blockout2024 movement?! and why should you participate in it?
(via 2024blockout) pic.twitter.com/kNEEcKUG3A— jude 🍉 (@literarycore) May 9, 2024
Jarring images placing the two events side-by-side drew in disgust and shame from many Internet users. Not even days after, a video of TikTok influencer Haley Kalil filmed outside the Met Gala turned viral after it was seen that she had lip-synced to the words, “let them eat cake.”
An influencer straight up making a “let them eat cake” video at the met gala last night. No self awareness at all. None. pic.twitter.com/39rYMZqzLe
— Read Let This Radicalize You (@JoshuaPHilll) May 7, 2024
If you’re well-versed in history, then this phrase might have reminded you of someone, say, Marie Antoinette.
Yeah, that’s right. The former Queen of France that got her head chopped during the French Revolution. Though she did not technically say it, the phrase was still attributed to her due to her lavish lifestyle and her apparent ignorance for the socio-political climate of her time period.
To remind everyone of what happened during the French Revolution, the French public was incredibly unhappy with their situation that they had to rise up, abolish the monarchy, and put all the aristocrats explicitly involved with their suffering to trial and death by guillotine.
In a similar manner, social media users are now blocking and holding almost every celebrity who hasn’t spoken out in support for Palestine accountable. Hence the name of this movement, the ‘digital guillotine.’
Palestinian journalist and activist Bisan Owda also spoke in favor of the online movement in an Instagram story, where she said, “Yalla, let’s all block the people who we made famous and rich..who are living in a fantasy world.. destroying our environment, society, harmony and economy, and don’t even put some effort to educate themselves about us, the 99% of the world’s population who made them.”
Different social media users have posted their list of celebrities to block, which often include Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kourtney Kardashian Baker, Kendall Jenner, Kylie Jenner, Doja Cat, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Billie Eilish, Justin Bieber, and more.
The lists also included famous names in K-Pop, such as BLACKPINK, BTS, and Stray Kids.
Many social media users, especially on X and TikTok, were supportive of the online movement. This was quite evident, as several celebrities such as Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift, Zendaya, Kim Kardashian, and Beyonce, have lost a significant number of followers.
The blockout is WORKING!
Celebrities are losing THOUSANDS of followers! pic.twitter.com/tbgyqwyK7k
— The Saviour (@stairwayto3dom) May 20, 2024
A reminder of which celebrities support Israel and should be unfollowed, a MUCH needed thread 🧵
1) Kylie Jenner pic.twitter.com/KGqYraq6cJ
— 👑 (@kodstrangeer) May 26, 2024
Block celebrities. They’re nothing without our attention.
Here’s a few to start with: @taylorswift13 @KimKardashian @Beyonce #blockout2024 #FreePalestine 🇵🇸🪁 pic.twitter.com/ksuLeo3amm— Free Palestine (@WildernessWypt) May 9, 2024
Desde el lanzamiento de la campaña #BlockOut2024 tras la Gala del Met, el 6 de mayo, muchas estrellas han sido objeto de campañas de bloqueo. pic.twitter.com/KHu72Htio2
— AJ+Español (@ajplusespanol) May 22, 2024
There’s a massive #Blockout2024 taking place where we block every celebrity that hasn’t spoken up about Palestine or called for a ceasefire. It’s a global movement. They live off of our attention. If they don’t have any, they cease to exert their influence. pic.twitter.com/Tf7YgRhuQx
— Karim Wafa-Al Hussaini (@DrKarimWafa) May 10, 2024
Some experts also spoke out in favor of the ‘digital guillotine’ online movement, such as Catherine Corrigall-Brown, a professor of sociology at the University of British Columbia. In an interview with CBC Kids News, she said, “I think the blockout is very clever. It brings attention to an issue, and it allows those who can’t vote to still make an impact.”
Eddy Borges-Rey, an associate professor at Northwestern University in Qatar, said to Al Jazeera that blocking social media celebrities is more effective as it, in turn, “decreases the celebrity’s audience size, leading social media algorithms to deprioritize their content.”
However, at the same time, experts and some social media users are also skeptical about the effectiveness of the online movement.
Beth Fossen, assistant professor of marketing at Indiana University, for example, said in an interview with AP News that it may depend on a celebrity or influencer’s “brand”. She said that if a famous person’s “brand” is connected to humanitarian causes, then they would be more affected than one who is known for their beauty or talent.
Others also pointed out that the “Blockout 2024” online movement may just be another example of performative activism, where people only speak out when the iron is hot then drop it when it’s not. Social media users have also mentioned how the “Blockout 2024” could possibly override the issue of the Palestinians entirely.
adding bella hadid to the blockout list when she’s a Palestinian woman again shows that it’s all performative. you don’t get to tell a Palestinian how much they should or shouldn’t speak out
— melanie (taylor’s version) (@loverglow13) May 11, 2024
the point is they've been IGNORING the genocide in palestine and the tone deaf "let them eat cake" video was the last straw. we're fed up of supporting ppl with so money and influence who do absolutely nothing with it. we are the reason they're rich, we watch
— tati.feli. (@ctrlyoself) May 12, 2024
why this language is dehumanizing and how this harms Palestinians (+ debunking the blockout not working thing) :
a thread pic.twitter.com/KMbqoTJWet— ZAYNA🇵🇸 FREE PALESTINE (@sitcomabed) May 18, 2024
The here’s my blackout celeb list’ videos on tiktok have overtaken the number of informative and actionable fundraising for palestine posts on the fyp and I think we should sit and think about that for a second
— officialhambly she/they (@officialhambly) May 13, 2024
pls stop making these reverse blockout celeb support lists and having celebs who have been silent the last seven months on these lists like that has been the whole point of the blockout targeting those who have been silent these few months
— moni⁷ (formerly batsmurdock)🧸 (@yoongisbatman) May 13, 2024
While it is good to hold those who have been silent over the humanitarian issue accountable, some celebrities have used their influence to advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Some known celebrities who have made headlines for their continuous activism for Gaza are Hunter Schafer, Nicola Coughlan, Kehlani, Bella Hadid, Gigi Hadid, Macklemore, Reneé Rapp, Boygenius, Dua Lipa, Hozier, Ayo Edebiri, Melissa Barrera, Billie Eilish, Mark Ruffalo, Angelina Jolie, Pedro Pascal, Lena Headey, Annie Lennox, Rachel Zegler, and Kid Cudi.
Let us also remember that there may be other celebrities there who share our sentiments, but they are unable to voice out their political views due to possible intimidation.
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