Lights, camera, logout — no, it's not the tagline of a new movie, but a trend that's taking the showbiz world by storm. The stars seem to be disappearing from our screens faster than avocado toast sells out on a Sunday brunch, bringing on a modern-day revolution towards a simpler, digital-free life. But why are the celebrities, the high-profile, the verified ones, deciding to disconnect?
It's no secret that mental health and social media share a turbulent relationship. Famous people who left social media include Selena Gomez and Tom Holland, who've been vocal about the mental health toll that social media can take. The alluring red hearts and thumbs-up icons might suggest instant gratification, but scratch the surface and you'll find all the pressure to maintain a perfect facade.
Sure, it's not a mass exodus, but the number of celebrities leaving Twitter and other social media platforms, even temporarily, is turning heads. For some, leaving social media is a welcome break from the harsh glare of online scrutiny. Being constantly in the spotlight, 280 characters at a time, can take a toll. Notably, the reasons to quit social media vary — from wishing to get their privacy back, avoiding the trolls, or simply longing for a world less digital and more authentic.
Only a few departures, though, are permanent. Many find themselves on a social media hiatus, a digital detox, a breather from the endless parade of filtered realities. We often see them returning rejuvenated, carrying stories and lessons learned from their time away. And yet, for others, quitting social media is a one-way trip — a permanent separation from an online world that has become toxic, addictive, and sometimes even dangerous. Today, we'll take a look at an ensemble cast of celebrities who quit social media (some forever, some temporarily) — as always, we invite you to upvote your favorite stories so they can rank higher on the list!
#1 Tom Holland
With a massive Instagram following of 67 million and a public romance with co-star Zendaya, Holland was no stranger to public scrutiny. On August 15, 2022, he announced a hiatus from social media due to mental health concerns, stating: "I have taken a break from social media for my mental health because I find Instagram and Twitter to be overstimulating, to be overwhelming." He then endorsed Stem4, a prominent youth mental health charity, and has since utilized his social platforms to raise awareness for the organization.
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54points
#2 Emma Stone
Emma Stone has chosen to abstain from all social media platforms as long as she remains a public figure. While she was active on several platforms before her skyrocketing fame, she has since deleted her online presence and refused to return.
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43points
#3 Jim Carrey
Comedian and actor Jim Carrey announced his departure from Twitter on November 29, 2022, sharing a cartoon based on his painting of a lighthouse keeper and expressing his love for his followers.
38points
#4 Keira Knightley
In 2009, Keira Knightley opened a Twitter account to connect with her fan base. However, the renowned actress never really got to use the platform. She confessed to Insider that the social media app creeped her out. Ever since then, the Atonement star has not only avoided social media but has no digital presence whatsoever.
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32points
#5 Adele
Adele had to step away from Twitter in 2012 after sharing a photo of her infant son, which led to some people sending death threats against her child. Currently, Adele is back on social media.
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30points
#6 Miley Cyrus
In the summer of 2018, Miley Cyrus, without any explanation, wiped her social media profiles clean. While some speculated this was in anticipation of a surprise album, a source close to Cyrus shared with Entertainment Tonight that there was no hidden or exciting reason for her social media cleanup — she simply needed a break.
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26points
#7 Lizzo
Early in 2020, the hip-hop artist Lizzo announced she was stepping away from Twitter due to the overwhelming presence of internet trolls. Lizzo, known for confronting her critics on the platform, stated she would return "when she feels like it." She re-emerged on Twitter in August 2021, coinciding with the launch of her single Rumors, featuring Cardi B.
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24points
#8 Blake Lively
Blake Lively completely cleaned out her Instagram content in 2018, removing every picture and unfollowing everyone, including her spouse Ryan Reynolds. This sparked anxiety among fans, only to be relieved when it was revealed to be a marketing strategy. She came back with an enigmatic post about a woman named "Emily," dropping hints about her upcoming movie A Simple Favor, where she played a character by that name who mysteriously disappears.
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21points
#9 Selena Gomez
In 2017, Selena Gomez shut down her Instagram after it was infiltrated by hackers who posted explicit images of her former partner Justin Bieber. Following the restoration of her account, she resumed her online presence. Still, she began a routine of uninstalling the Instagram app from her phone every week for her mental well-being. She now maintains an active presence on the platform and boasts over 418 million followers.
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21points
#10 Ariana Grande
It's uncertain why the singer of God is a Woman chose to leave Twitter in 2021. However, rumors suggest that relentless scrutiny of her personal relationships and online trolling were the driving factors behind her decision.
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20points
#11 Pete Davidson
After his engagement with Ariana Grande ended, Pete Davidson faced a barrage of criticism from fans on social media, leading him to leave. In an interview with Insider, he mentioned that the internet can often be an "evil place."
20points
#12 Rihanna
In 2014, the singer disappeared from Instagram due to a mistake made by the platform itself. Even though Instagram was the one to deactivate her account, Rihanna didn't restore it right away. She reappeared on the platform on November 1, 2014.
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18points
#13 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
On an episode of the Yahoo News podcast "Skullduggery" in April 2019, the US congresswoman from New York declared she had quit Facebook and was reducing her activity on Instagram and Twitter. "I gave up on it. We still sort of have accounts on it," she revealed on the podcast. She stated that "social media poses a public health risk to everybody," contributing to issues like depression, anxiety, and addiction.
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17points
#14 Saqib Saleem
The 83 actor Saqib Saleem abandoned Twitter, citing bullying and baseless hatred. In his farewell note, he expressed his disappointment: "When we met for the first time, you were lovely. A great platform to express feelings, gather knowledge and understand many different points of view. But, of late you seem to have gotten lost in all the hate everyone is so ready to throw at each other, a place full of bullies, a place where abusing people is a normal code of conduct."
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16points
#15 Millie Bobby Brown
In June 2018, Millie Bobby Brown, the famed actress from Stranger Things, terminated her Twitter account. This decision was a response to an unusual Twitter trend that wrongly associated her with homophobic captions over harmless images. Some argued the trend was merely a joke and that the originators were part of the LGBT+ community. However, Brown still chose to withdraw from Twitter.
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14points
#16 Kelly Marie Tran
After several months of racist harassment from some Star Wars fans, Kelly Marie Tran, who portrayed Rose Tico in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, erased all her Instagram photos in June 2018. Despite reactivating her account, she has yet to upload any posts.
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14points
#17 Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift removed all content from her social media platforms during the summer of 2017, but it was all part of a marketing strategy to introduce her Reputation album.
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14points
#18 Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran temporarily distanced himself from social media and his work life in December 2015. He made the announcement on Instagram, stating, "I've had such an amazing ride over the last five years but I find myself seeing the world through a screen and not my eyes so I'm taking this opportunity of me not having to be anywhere or do anything to travel the world and see everything I missed." He has since returned and continues to share moments of his life, including those of his cats, who now have their own Instagram account.
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14points
#19 Aamir Khan
The actor, known for his role in Laal Singh Chaddha, was previously a frequent Twitter user and even ventured into Instagram for a brief period. However, after his birthday in 2020, Khan announced his indefinite exit from social media to "drop the pretense."
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10points
#20 Meghan Markle
Before becoming the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle was quite active on Instagram and even ran a lifestyle blog named The Tig. However, after the public announcement of her engagement to Prince Harry, she erased all traces of her personal online presence. Later, Markle and Prince Harry jointly managed an official Instagram account under the title The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, which has been abandoned since March 2020.
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9points