"Stars Ignoring the Tragedy Should Be Put on the Digital Guillotine"…Including Actress from the Movie 'Dune'

'Digital Guillotine' Movement Spreads
Celebrity SNS Boycott Movement

A movement urging the blocking of accounts belonging to celebrities who remain silent about the atrocities in Gaza has been observed.

"Ignoring the Gaza war while attending the 'Met Gala' is absurd... It's time to take away the views and likes given to them"

Actress Zendaya attending the United States' largest fashion show, the Met Gala.
[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

On the 13th, Yonhap News, citing the US NBC network, reported that "social media users are conducting a campaign to block the accounts of celebrities who remain silent about the Gaza war, putting hundreds of stars on a 'digital guillotine'." The targets include pop stars Selena Gomez, Drake, Justin Bieber, as well as Zendaya, the lead actor in the Dune film series, and the Kardashian family, famous for their reality TV show.

Hostility toward these celebrities grew especially when the announcement of Israel's military attack plan on Rafah, a southern city in Gaza, coincided with the timing of the US's largest fashion event, the 'Met Gala.' The anger of social media users exploded particularly when Hailey Khalil, a famous model and social media creator, posted a lip-sync video of the phrase "(If there is no bread) let them eat cake," reportedly said by Queen Marie Antoinette during the French Revolution. The video has since been deleted.

The initiator of the 'digital guillotine' campaign, 'LadyFromTheOutside,' emphasized, "It is time to block celebrities, influencers, and wealthy socialites who do not use any of their resources to help those in desperate need," adding, "We must take away the platforms, views, likes, comments, and money we have given them."

According to analysis by social media analytics firm Social Blade, many celebrities on the block list lost tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of followers daily after the 'digital guillotine' campaign began. Following the campaign, some stars, such as female rapper Lizzo and influencer Chris Olson, posted videos encouraging donations to Gaza civilians and relief organizations for the first time. While some users criticized these efforts as too late, others praised the stars as evidence of the campaign's effectiveness.

'Digital Guillotine' List Sparks Controversy... "Celebrities Who Spoke Out on Gaza War Also Attended the 'Met Gala'"

Billie Eilish attending the United States' largest fashion show, the Met Gala.
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

However, there are also criticisms regarding the appropriateness of the 'digital guillotine' campaign targeting celebrities. The block list, mainly composed of Met Gala attendees, has become problematic. Online, many point out the misconception that celebrities invited to the Met Gala pay $75,000 (about 100 million KRW) to attend, and criticism has arisen noting that some attendees, such as Rachel Ziegler, have voiced their concerns about the Gaza situation.

Additionally, some argue that instead of pressuring celebrities to engage in pro-Palestinian activities, social media users themselves should actively discuss the Gaza war.