Is
social media positive or negative for society? This is a debate that will
rumble on for many years to come as new platforms come and go. Despite this,
one thing is for certain; it is now a part of the celebrity lifestyle. As soon
as celebrities reportedly fall out, we check social media to see if they’re
still following each other. Suddenly, a misplaced ‘like’ can be misconstrued as
‘beef’ and the whole celebrity universe goes crazy for a short time.
Aaron
Carter Walks Away from All Platforms
This week, social media seems to have been a bit too much for Aaron Carter. Of course, he has been embroiled in an intense legal battle with his siblings, and the 90s star let his Twitter followers know on Monday that he would no longer be posting. Not only was this a move to focus on his career, but it’s also thought to be a decision to help his well-being too, and he isn’t the first celebrity to take this step.
In the tweet, Carter signed off by saying ‘no more social media nonsense for me.’ The day before, he threatened to ‘delete everything’ in a tweet after receiving pressure from Backstreet Boys fans who wanted a ‘conservatorship over me’.
It’s
a busy time for the star at the moment as he continues his tour around the US.
Right through December, he will appear in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Buffalo,
Amityville, and more. It seems social media has proven a distraction and Carter
has now stepped away from this part of the internet.
Other
Stars to Walk Away from Social Media
As
mentioned previously, this isn’t the first time that a celebrity has left
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other (or all!) social media channels. While
some deleted their accounts due to harassment from fans, including Scarlett
Johansson and Adele, others simply wanted to take some time away.
Not so long ago, global superstar Ed Sheeran was under pressure after Lady Gaga fans thought Ed had said something nasty about the singer. Despite explaining himself and clearing up the mistake, he was still bombarded with nasty messages and the Brit ended up stepping back from social media for a period of time. Sadly, Adele did exactly the same after threats against her new son’s life when she gave birth in 2012.
Just last year, Miley Cyrus shocked the world when she cleared out all of her social media channels. Although some were scared that she and Liam were over (which has now sadly happened anyway), those close to the singer said she simply wanted a break. Meanwhile, Pete Davidson said ‘I just don’t wanna be on Instagram anymore’ during a turbulent engagement with Ariana Grande.
Elsewhere, there are some celebrities who have never had social media. Martin Freeman once said that joining social media might end his career; he believes that he could unwittingly upset a fan which, in turn, would influence his work.
Is
social media a positive or negative influence on society? Perhaps it has
elements of both?
