Why Are People Blocking Celebrities? The 'BlockOut 2024' And 'Celebrity Block List' TikTok Trend Explained (2024)

TikTok users have started a new trend of blocking celebrities. Some are calling it BlockOut 2024 while others are calling it the "Celebrity Block Party." No matter, it's a super viral form of protest at the moment.

The phenomenon started this month, mostly in response to the 2024 Met Gala juxtaposed with the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and the war in Gaza. Instead of hating on them (and giving them free publicity), these subtle digital protestors are blocking any celebrity who doesn't use their platform for good, thereby stripping them of their ad revenue.

However, where did this blocking celebrities trend start? Who's on the celebrity block list? Will this protest work? Let's explain.

Why Are People Blocking Celebrities? The 'BlockOut 2024' And 'Celebrity Block List' TikTok Trend Explained (1)

Where Did The Blocking Celebrities Trend Start?

The 2024 trend seems to have started with one TikToker named @blockout2024. He posted his first video regarding the trend on Wednesday, the day after this year's Met Gala where the uber-rich paid $75,000 for a ticket and who knows how much more on their outfit.

The TikToker urged in a second video the motive behind the trend, saying, "When we hate on them, they make money. When we praise them, they make money. But when we block their social media accounts and completely forget their names, they lose it all."

@blockout2024

You can also block news outlets that clickbait and artists on spotify

♬ original sound – blockout2024

Why Are People Blocking Celebrities?

Per the TikToker's original video and his profile's bio, the BlockOut 2024 trend is targeted at celebrities who aren't using their platform to voice support for Palestine.

Amid pro-Palestinian student encampments and months-long boycotts of McDonald's and Starbucks (among other companies reportedly supporting Israel), boycotting strategically silent celebrities by way of blocking is viewed by some as a path to a cease-fire.

With the recent Met Gala, where celebrities flaunted their wealth, TikTokers are seeing the juxtaposition between their opulence and the suffering of those in Israel and Palestine. Lots of the discourse surrounding this has also gone towards backlash against influencer Haleyybaylee, who said, "Let them eat cake" in a flowery, expensive dress on the red carpet this week.

@blockout2024 #stitch with @SarahF ♬ original sound – blockout2024
@thewokemama

Whew! Where to begin?

♬ original sound – Shirley Chisholm Folding Chair

What's The 'BlockOut2024' Hashtag?

#BlockOut2024 is the primary hashtag for the growing campaign. The catchy name was coined by the TikToker, @blockout2024, who began the trend. Other names are floating around too, like "Celebrity Block Party."

@adonaicaimmoloch LETS MAKE SOCIAL MEDIA FOR US AND US ALONE #blockout2024 #blockout #boycott #boycottcelebrities #boycotthollywood #boycotttherich ♬ original sound – incognegro

Who's On The 'Celebrity Block List?'

The list is growing by the day. For sure, two of the main subjects are Kim Kardashian and Taylor Swift, both of whom have massive platforms, but are historically silent when it comes to Israel-Palestine.

@keditzz_user #blocked #blockout2024 #metgala #boycott #celebrity #influencers #cancelled #taylorswift #zendaya ♬ Kawaii Aesthetic – LoES

Did Kim Kardashian Lose 3 Million Followers?

There are a couple of viral videos on TikTok right now in which people are saying that Kim Kardashian has already lost 3 million followers since the blocking celebrities trend started. Unfortunately, this is unconfirmed.

Per statistics on Social Blade, Kardashian has not lost a significant amount of followers on either TikTok or Instagram since Wednesday. It's unclear where this rumor started.

@itsmurshelena #kimkardashian #kimk #block #blocked #blockout2024 #🍉🍉🍉 #🍉 #fyp #matgala ♬ original sound – Murshelena 🇵🇸❤️

Will The Blocking Celebrities Trend Work?

As news of this trend spreads online, users are debating whether it will work. For instance, TikToker @jesstheprequeldoesmiami (a self-proclaimed "15-year marketer") speculated that the trend could work surprisingly well, citing negative engagement as a major strike for a celebrity's brand health.

Meanwhile, TikToker @adammadanat wonders if the strategy could be stronger, suggesting that users attack the brands of these celebrities too by going on their website, adding an item to their cart and then not closing the tab. According to him, this limits others from purchasing the item and harms the company at large.

Only time will tell if blocking celebrities will cause real change in the world. If nothing else, it will change your timeline, vacuuming out all of the drama and baggage associated with the internet's biggest influencers.

@adammadanat #stitch with @incognegro Lets discuss other ways we can target these celebrities money #longervideos #blockout #blockout2024 #tiktok #fyp ♬ original sound – Adam

For the full history of the "blocking celebrities" trend, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's entry for even more information.

Why Are People Blocking Celebrities? The 'BlockOut 2024' And 'Celebrity Block List' TikTok Trend Explained (2024)

FAQs

Why Are People Blocking Celebrities? The 'BlockOut 2024' And 'Celebrity Block List' TikTok Trend Explained? ›

A TikTok movement is calling for followers to block famous people over their stances on the Israel-Hamas war. It began at the Met Gala

the Met Gala
The Met Gala, formally called the Costume Institute Benefit, is the annual haute couture fundraising festival held for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute in Manhattan. The Met Gala is popularly regarded as the world's most prestigious and glamorous fashion event.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Met_Gala
. As protests over the war in Gaza unfolded blocks away, last week's Met Gala was largely devoid of political statements on the red carpet.

Why are people on TikTok blocking celebrities? ›

Blockparty, or Blockout, is a movement on TikTok to block celebrities, and in some cases media organizations and other groups, on social media to deny them attention, online engagement, and ad revenue partly in an effort to compel those celebs to speak about what's happening in Gaza.

Why are people blocking celebrities in 2024? ›

TikTok users cited the plight of Palestinians in Gaza, wealth inequality and the climate crisis as worthy causes that celebrities could be drawing attention to, and began creating and sharing block lists of celebrities perceived to be silent.

What is the reason for Blockout 2024? ›

Blockout 2024 (stylized as the hashtag #Blockout2024), variously referred to as Operation Blockout or Celebrity Block Party, is an online movement to block the social media accounts of celebrities and organizations, related to their silence over or support toward Israel in the war in Gaza.

Why is there a celebrity Blockout? ›

It's part of a pro-Palestinian movement that aims to put pressure on celebs to speak out against the war in Gaza. Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber are some of the common names on block lists. Experts, however, are skeptical about its potential impact.

What is Blockout 2024 on TikTok? ›

Aka the trend where people are blocking celebrities on social media. So it's actually been going on for a while, but it really amped up after the Met Gala.

What is the point of blocking celebrities? ›

What is the point of blocking celebrities? “Blockout” supporters argue that blocking is important because brands look at data on the followers and engagement of influencers and celebrities on social media before choosing whether to work with them to promote a product.

What celebrities are being cancelled in 2024? ›

Taylor Swift, Drake and many more have become targets of the "Block Out 2024" movement, which began on TikTok in response to the perceived disconnect between the glamorous Met Gala and the grim realities of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Why are people unfollowing and blocking celebrities? ›

The idea is to block celebrities so that a lack of social media engagement affects their lucrative brand deal. If you simply unfollow a celebrity, the algorithm still might suggest a sponsored post of a brand they work with; blocking prevents such posts from appearing on your feed.

What celebrities are Blockout 2024? ›

Here are some of the other celebrities who've been affected by the blockout.
  • 1 and 2. Justin and Hailey Bieber. ...
  • Gal Gadot. The Israeli actress and model has openly stood in solidarity with Israel.
  • Zendaya. ...
  • Kylie Jenner. ...
  • Selena Gomez. ...
  • Beyoncé ...
  • Khloé Kardashian.
May 20, 2024

How to block out 2024? ›

The idea is simple: you block notable celebrities who have either not said anything about Gaza or those who have attempted a 'both sides' approach to the issue. Instead of debating what a celebrity has said or hasn't, you remove them from your online ecosystem entirely.

Why is blackout called blackout? ›

Prior to these accidental blackouts, the word was used for a cessation of light in the world of theater, referring either to a turning off of the stage lighting for the purpose of separating scenes in a play or of closing a skit in a revue, burlesque show, or musical comedy or to a skit that ending with a blackout.

Is Blockout the same as blackout? ›

There is a difference between the two & a lot of competitors have been selling blockout curtains as black out. Blockout curtains reduce the amount of light between 65%-80% whereas blackout curtains will reduce the amount of light by 100%.

Why is everyone blocking celebrities on TikTok? ›

TikTok users are campaigning for their followers to block certain celebrities on social media platforms in a trend coming to be known as “digitine.” According to Distractify, the trend is a means to punish celebrities who have been deemed as not using their wealth and influence appropriately to help others.

What celebrities are losing followers on Instagram 2024? ›

Many household names—from Taylor Swift and Zendaya to Harry Styles and Gal Gadot— are on the chopping block. This trend started on TikTok, where it is also being referred to as "Blockout 2024" and the "digital guillotine." Several accounts have been encouraging others to block celebrities on social media.

What is the purpose of blockout? ›

Noun. blockout (countable and uncountable, plural blockouts) (countable, construction) A void that is deliberately not filled with concrete, so that it can be used to insert something else such as pipework. (countable, video games) A draft of a level where plain blocks serve as placeholders for environmental features.

What is the TikTok celebrity block trend? ›

The reason for the "Celebrity Block Party," as it's been dubbed? TikTok users are saying they feel disillusioned with famous pop figures over the Israel-Hamas war, in which they complain celebrities aren't using their platforms to speak out against violence in the Middle East.

What is the digitine blocking celebrities? ›

' A 'digitine,' if you will,” said TikTok creator @ladyfromtheoutside, who kicked off the movement with her viral video. “It's time to block all the celebrities, influencers and wealthy socialites who are not using their resources to help those in dire need. We gave them their platforms.

What celebrities are blocking for Palestine? ›

Other celebrities named for blocking include Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson, Taylor Swift, Kylie Jenner, and Harry Styles. In an Instagram video with 834,000 views, a singer named Anees called it a way for activists to take power back.

How to block celebrity on TikTok? ›

How to block someone:
  1. Go to the person's profile.
  2. Tap the 3-dot icon in the top right.
  3. Tap Block and follow the steps in the app.

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