Selena Gomez Reveals She’s Deleting Her Instagram Account After Backlash Over ‘Neutral’ Gaza Conflict Comments
Selena Gomez may be leaving Instagram again. In a swiftly deleted Instagram Story on Thursday, November 2, the Rare Beauty founder, 31, shared a frustrated message to her 430 million followers on the platform. “I’m taking a break and deleting my Instagram,” she wrote in the text post. “I’m done. I do not support any of what’s going on.”
You can see a repost of her Instagram Story below. Though the IG story was quickly removed, Selena’s Instagram account was still active at the time of publication.
Selena’s post came just four days after she took to the same platform to speak out on the Gaza conflict. “I’ve been taking a break from social media because my heart breaks to see all of the horror, hate, violence, and terror that’s going on in the world,” she wrote on Monday, October 30. “People being tortured and killed or any act of hate towards any one group is horrific.
We need to protect ALL people, especially children and stop the violence for good. I’m sorry if my words will never be enough for everyone or a hashtag. I just can’t stand by innocent people getting hurt. That’s what makes me sick. I wish I could change the world. But a post won’t. Love, Selena.”
Many took to social media to lambast the Disney Channel alum for taking a neutral stance, despite recently “liking” a pro-Israel post by comedian Amy Schumer, and despite having a massive following on Instagram. “Selena Gomez is literally the 3rd most followed person on Instagram with almost half a BILLION followers,” wrote a social media user at the time. “A post WILL make a difference.
This is why I’m annoyed when celebs make a ‘neutral’ statement. They do it only because of their reputation. Not because they genuinely care.”
If she does delete her account, this won’t be the first time the Only Murders in the Building star has withdrawn, or at least stepped back from, the platform.
In an interview in 2019, she explained why she often questions if she should be there. “I think our world is going through a lot, obviously,” she said during the Cannes Film Festival, per CNN. “But for my generation, specifically, social media has been terrible.”