A few days ago, when the photos from the Met Gala flooded our Instagram feed, the internet went all gaga over the celebrities’ fairytale looks. But just after the event, a trend of boycotting these celebs emerged and took over the web. This movement of unfollowing or blocking celebrities with significant followers on social media platforms is called the ‘Blockout 2024.’
This growing movement started on TikTok, where users shared lists of celebrities and asked people to block or unfollow them. Why? Because these celebs have not used their influence and social media platforms to speak about issues plaguing the world, particularly the situation in Gaza.
This list includes names like Alia Bhatt, Kim Kardashian, Priyanka Chopra, Taylor Swift, Virat Kohli etc. They have been announced ‘complicit’ for their silence on the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. By blocking them or disengaging from their content on platforms like X, TikTok, and Instagram, the movement aims to diminish the celebrities’ influence and brand value.
The conflict in Gaza started on October 7 when Hamas attacked Israel. According to Gaza’s health ministry, the violence has resulted in the deaths of more than 35,000 people in Gaza. So the goal of this movement is to put pressure on these celebrities to use their extensive influence to advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Some of the celebrities whose names have come up in these lists are –
1. Alia Bhatt
2. Virat Kohli
3. Shah Rukh Khan
4. Priyanka Chopra
5. Nick Jonas
6. Deepika Padukone
7. Ranveer Singh
8. Taylor Swift
9. Cristiano Ronaldo
10. Rober Downey Jr.
In times of this ongoing humanitarian crisis, a lavish event like the Met Gala has been compared to the dystopian world of ‘The Hunger Games.’ Whether celebrities should be vocal about conflicts happening in the world has always been a topic of debate, what’s your take on this?
