Social media users have launched a widespread campaign to boycott hundreds of celebrities and influencers worldwide due to their silence regarding the events occurring in Gaza. The "digital movement" started after several celebrities attended the Met Gala last week, an annual fundraising event for the Anna Wintour Costume Center at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, which features prominent stars from around the world.
During the event, model and influencer Hailey Bailey sparked outrage after posting a video titled "out of touch," where she lip-synced to the famous quote by Marie Antoinette, "Let them eat cake," while wearing a floral headdress and a dress inspired by the last French queen. This quote is believed to have been uttered in the 17th or 18th century during a famine in France when Marie Antoinette learned that peasants had no bread to eat, which was considered mocking the poor at that time.
Internet users linked Bailey's video to mocking the famine occurring in Gaza. Due to the intense backlash, the model apologized to the public, stating she would not have used the audio had she anticipated the harsh response it would provoke, clarifying that she does not speak about Gaza because she "is not knowledgeable enough to discuss it in a meaningful and educational way." Nevertheless, this has sparked a broader discussion about how celebrities remain disconnected from the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza.
Following the Met Gala on May 6, calls began circulating on social media platforms such as TikTok, X, and Instagram to participate in the "digital guillotine," a historical reference to how Marie Antoinette was found guilty of treason against the French Republic and executed by guillotine in 1793. However, instead of severing heads, the campaign focuses on boycotting and banning public figures who have not used their platforms to publicly address significant issues, such as Palestine, and have remained silent on the ongoing humanitarian atrocities in Gaza. The campaign aims to disrupt the influence of these celebrities on social media and withdraw profits from their advertising revenues.
The 2024 Blockout movement aims to block celebrities on social media who have either supported or failed to voice opposition to the genocide in Gaza. It advocates blocking (not just unfollowing) celebrities on all social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok) to completely cut off all engagement.
Celebrities targeted by the campaign include Hailey Bailey, Taylor Swift, the Kardashian family, Selena Gomez, Justin and Hailey Bieber, Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Drake, Cardi B, and Nicki Minaj. A number of Arab celebrities have also not escaped this campaign, with calls to boycott many, including Nancy Ajram, Ahlam, content creators Anas and Asala, Noor Stars, and others.
