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By Marni Rose McFall
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Celebrities including Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian and Beyoncé have found themselves in the middle of a viral blocking campaign as a result of the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The Context
Social media users have launched "Operation Blockout," where users have begun blocking popular celebrities on social media sites over their perceived inaction over the Israel-Hamas war.
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On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched an attack against Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostage. Since then, Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed more than 34,800 Palestinians in Gaza, the Associated Press reported, citing local health officials. More than 80 percent of Gaza's 2.3 million people have been displaced in the conflict.
Social media users are specifically targeting celebrities who they say have not used their platform to speak about the conflict or advocate for a ceasefire, according to the Instagram account, Land Palestine.
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What We Know
Calls for the "Blockout" started after the Met Gala, a star-studded fashion event where tickets to attend cost roughly $75,000. The Vogue-hosted party took place on the same day that Israel launched its assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which Israel had previously declared a safe zone.
Users on TikTok compared the Met Gala to the popular dystopian film franchise, The Hunger Games. One such video now has over three million views, while TikTok user @norrakach posted clips from the Met Gala with footage of people in Gaza, titling the video 'same planet, different worlds'. The video has been viewed over a hundred thousand times.
Vogue and the Metropolitan Museum of Art did not respond to requests for comment.
TikToker @Haleyybaylee, real name Haley Kali, posted a now deleted video online ahead of her attendance at the Met Gala in which she showcased her elaborate outfit and lip-synced the famous "let them eat cake" line from Sofia Coppola's 2006 film, Marie Antoinette.
In a video on her TikTok which now has over 28 million views, Kali addressed the controversy, stating that: "I don't know the right thing to do or say a lot of the time."
Addressing the conflict in Gaza and why she has not spoken out about it on her channel, she stated that, "I am not educated enough to talk about it."
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Calls for the Blockout intensified after Macklemore released his new single in support of the Palestinian people, Hinds Hall. The song includes the lyrics: "The music industry's quiet, complicit in their platform of silence."
Newsweek emailed a spokesperson for Macklemore for comment.
Social media users are posting daily lists of celebrities to block. One TikTok user posted a list to the app, in a video which now has over 1.5 million views. The names on these lists include the likes of Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian, Beyoncé, Justin and Hailey Bieber.
Among those on the list who were in attendance at the Met Gala are Lana Del Rey, Lea Michelle, and Karlie Kloss, who was among a host of celebrities and entertainment professionals in November who signed an open letter to President Joe Biden calling for the release of the hostages taken by Hamas, designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S.
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Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Chris Hemsworth and Nicki Minaj, who all also attended the Met Gala, are also included on a list.
The actress Zendaya has also been a target of the "Blockout". She previously expressed support for the Palestinians via Instagram in October but has received criticism from some social media users for reportedly not sharing anything since.
Met Gala attendees such as the model Gigi Hadid, actress Ayo Edebiri and singer Dua Lipa, who all signed an artists4ceasefire letter, have all featured on a "Blockout" list.
Views
Responses to "Operation Blockout" on social media have been mixed. Many with large followings have expressed their support for the initiative, with accounts like Raw Critix criticizing "out of touch celebrities."
But other users are skeptical. One user commented on Land Palestine's Instagram post saying "How does blocking them help? They won't even know they are being blocked."
Another reply said, "bocking them will do nothing."
What's Next?
Kim Kardashian has reportedly lost 3 million followers on social media since "Operation Blockout" began. Newsweek emailed a spokesperson for the Kardashians for comment.
Some social media users question whether this initiative will have any real impact, suggesting that support for Palestinians from celebrities now feels disingenuous.
One user on X, formerly Twitter, wrote: "Celebrities such as Lizzo are now coming out to "support" Palestine after the #blackout2024 trend."
Rapper Lizzo posted a video to TikTok on May 9 in which she detailed a number of fundraising projects she had donated to, including a doctor in Gaza.
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