NOURNEWS: This online campaign, which started at the annual fashion festival in the heart of New York, blocks or unfollows the accounts of famous people who remained silent and indifferent to the killing of people in Gaza.
Users on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter (now called "X") are sharing tragic images from Gaza, reminding celebrities of their social and moral responsibilities, and asking each other: Who are you sending to the guillotine?
So far, hundreds of celebrities have faced this "Digital Guillotine." Famous American singers and actors like Selena Gomez, Zendaya, Drake, Justin Bieber, and the Kardashian family are among the targets of this campaign. Even devoted fans of stars like Taylor Swift have decided to unfollow their favorite artist.
According to reports, in this short time, Selena Gomez, the actress and singer, has lost one million followers on Instagram and 100,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter).
Nearly 153,000 followers on Instagram and 40,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter) have blocked Zendaya, the actress and singer. Kim Kardashian, the TV star, businesswoman, and social media influencer, saw 780,000 followers leave her on Instagram.
Nearly half a million followers on Instagram and X have unfollowed Kylie Jenner, the TV star and businesswoman. Billie Eilish, the singer and songwriter, lost over a million followers on Instagram. Beyoncé, the famous singer, songwriter, and actress, was shocked to see 689,000 followers leave her on Instagram, and Rihanna, the singer and actress, was blocked by 110,000 followers.
What gave new life to this social campaign were the controversies surrounding this year's Eurovision competition. Thousands of people protested last Saturday in Malmö, Sweden, the host of the biggest music event of the year, against the participation of the representative from Israel in the Eurovision song contest.
The Israeli representative was supposed to perform a song called "October Rain," which referenced Hamas's "Al-Aqsa Storm" operation or the events of October 7th. However, after the protests, the organizers asked the Israeli singer to change the lyrics and title of the song. Ultimately, the song was renamed "Tornado" and performed by Eden Golan, a 20-year-old singer, amid many protesters waving Palestinian flags and calling Eurovision an "ally of genocide."
The Eurovision final, the climax of this music festival known for its flashy and beautiful costumes, took place while more than 10,000 anti-Israel activists, including renowned climate activist Greta Thunberg, were marching in protest.
The controversy over the Israeli singer's presence peaked in the final minutes of the event. The singer received very few votes from the European jury panels and citizens, ranking low on the scoreboard. However, in the final stage of voting, which involved the public votes, the singer received 323 votes. Instead of cheers, the audience at the festival booed the singer.
NOURNEWS