45 (hailey bieber vs selena gomez CONTROVERSY) A CASE STUDY OF TOXIC FANDOM IN CELEBRITY CULTURE

AASHNI KAUR

COMM 3P18 FINAL PAPER

INTRODUCTION

In the present era, fandoms have emerged as an inseparable component of contemporary culture and our daily routines. They provide a platform for enthusiasts to establish connections with like-minded individuals who share their fervour for specific celebrities, TV shows, or movies. However, it is imperative to acknowledge that not all aspects of fandom are pleasant; there exists an unsightly side as well. This unattractive facet becomes apparent through the ever-growing number of social media platforms that amplify fans’ voices—allowing them to either celebrate and honour or criticize and lament various subjects. Regrettably, these very social networks often transform into arenas of discord and toxicity rather than fostering fan spirit. Certain fans’ criticism may quickly turn into condemnation; this is a phenomenon that is made worse when it manifests itself in the form of bullying, harassment, and other harmful behaviours inside fan networks. When fandom takes on this harmful nature, it incites detrimental behaviours and attitudes toward both fellow admirers and the objects commanding their admiration. Toxic fandom manifests in diverse manners: cyber bullying prevails as one prevalent manifestation—an avenue where malicious online attacks targeted at individuals thrives incessantly. Moreover, disagreements amongst fans possess the potential to swiftly escalate towards employing hateful speech alongside destructive conduct which ultimately cultivates and result into the emergence of a hostile environment. Although fandoms are based on admiration, they have the potential to turn toxic in the context of celebrity culture.

The recent drama surrounding Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber is a perfect illustration of how toxic fandom has reached its heights. This paper is going to explore toxic fandom in celebrity culture based on the controversial feud between Selena Gomez and Hailey bieber on social media platforms like tiktok. This paper aims to analyse the phenomenon of online discourse surrounding Hailey Bieber and Selena Gomez, which falsely portrays a deep-rooted animosity between the two celebrities. Despite their public interactions lacking any offensive remarks towards each other, fans have taken it upon themselves to fuel this narrative for almost a decade. The situation involving Hailey Bieber and Selena Gomez serves as a striking example of how toxic fandom within celebrity culture can escalate tensions to alarming levels. Fans often find themselves polarized around their idols, leading to an on-going saga that further exacerbates existing hostilities. Social media platforms become virtual battlegrounds where supporters engage in relentless comparisons, launch personal attacks, and perpetrate acts of harassment. Consequently, this toxic environment not only profoundly affects the well-being of the celebrities involved but also seeps into fan communities at large, fostering hostility and division among followers. It underscores the pressing need for fans to respect individual choices while urging celebrities to promote positive engagement rather than perpetuate detrimental rivalries through their own actions or statements.

OVERVIEW OF THE SITUATION

Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber had an on-and-off relationship for seven years, earning a dedicated fan base known as “Jelena.” However, their breakup in 2018 led to a messy rivalry involving three factions: Team Selena, Team Hailey (Justin’s fiancée), and Team Jelena. Initially, Twitter served as the battleground for these conflicts until TikTok emerged with its influential algorithm. TikTok played a dual role of exposing more people to the feud while also amplifying conspiracy theories. Over time, fans began connecting unrelated dots to fuel the drama further. The tensions between Hailey and Selena seemingly escalated when fans speculated that one of Hailey’s TikToks was indirectly criticizing Selena. In this particular video, Hailey and her friends were lip-syncing to a sound bite that said, “And I’m not saying she deserved it, but God’s timing is always right.” Fans interpreted this as a reference to recent body-shaming incidents aimed at Selena during her vacation photos. To address the speculation surrounding her alleged shade towards Selena, Hailey took to social media stating that they were simply having fun during girls’ night out without any specific intention behind the TikTok sound choice. In February 2023, Gomez unintentionally laminated her eyebrows too much and shared a video about it on TikTok. Shortly after this incident occurred, Kylie Jenner posted an Instagram Story featuring her own eyebrows along with the caption “this was an accident?” As if by coincidence or designating intent against Gomez through subtle means; Kylie then uploaded a screenshot of herself FaceTiming with Hailey where both their close-up eyebrow shots could be seen clearly. Fans immediately perceived this series of events as shady behaviour directed towards Gomez which resulted in them rallying support against Bieber and Jenner. Although both Selena and Kylie denied any ill intentions behind their actions; Gomez appeared to liking videos labelling Bieber and Jenner as “mean girls” by liking them. Eventually, Gomez decided to delete her TikTok account, but not before expressing gratitude towards her loyal fan base whom she considers the best in the world. Ever since these incidents happened, there has been a lot of toxic fan fights, conspiracy theories, bullying and toxic fandom going on. The backlash and online negativity escalated to another level. This paper will analyse audience behaviour regarding all of these fan activities and reactions circling around the situation in more detail.

ANALYSIS

This paper integrates a comprehensive depiction of audience engagement within the entire context, as well as their active involvement in it. This paper aims to provide a “thick” description entailing meticulous observation and gathering of textual evidence pertaining to audience motivations and emotional orientations. By analysing individuals’ comments, this analysis aims to gain insights into the reasons behind audience actions, thoughts, and emotions. This process involves constructing an intricate portrayal of audiences’ expressive proficiency and efficacy. The initial occurrence took place when Hailey shared a video of herself lip-syncing, leading fans to speculate that she was indirectly criticizing Selena. This speculation arose due to the assumption that Hailey’s post might be alluding to Selena’s experience with body-shaming in relation to her recent vacation pictures. Hailey responds to speculation about her alleged shade, writing, “I never comment on this type of thing but we were just having a girls’ night and did a random TikTok sound for fun. It’s not directed at anyone.” Selena hops into the comments of the TikTok above and writes, “its ok! I don’t let these things get me down! Be nice to everyone! X.” In February 2023, Gomez decided to share a video on TikTok where she showcased her well-defined eyebrows that had been accidentally laminated too much. Soon after, Kylie shared an Instagram Story featuring her own eyebrow mishap with the caption questioning if it was also accidental. Adding fuel to the fire, Kylie then posted a screenshot of a FaceTime call with Hailey, capturing both of their perfectly groomed brows up close. As expected, social media users flooded their comment sections on TikTok and accused them of behaving like “mean girls” and engaging in childish behaviour. In response to these allegations thrown at her by fans through comments on a viral fan video post, Kylie quickly dismissed any notion of shading Selena by commenting “This is reaching. No shade towards Selena ever and I didn’t see her eyebrow posts! U guys are making something out of nothing. This is silly.” Selena responds directly to Kylie’s comment, writing below it, “Agreed @kyliejenner it’s all unnecessary. I’m a fan of Kylie!”

Fans who hated Hailey seized the opportunity presented by Selena seemingly endorsing their cause, and this fuelled a wave of support for her. In an attempt to further vilify Hailey, certain individuals took it upon themselves to manipulate videos, distorting reality in order to portray her as consistently antagonistic towards Selena. For instance, one video falsely alleges that Hailey is demeaning a grocery store advertisement featuring Selena when in fact the person depicted is Natalie Portman. Similarly there were other videos claiming that Hailey deliberately wore outfits similar to those worn by Selena. The repercussions of these unfounded conspiracy theories were significant: Hailey lost millions of followers due to this orchestrated campaign against her character. This negative sentiment even spilled over into real-life events, exemplified by audience members at a surprise performance during the Rolling Loud music festival where her husband was met with chants of “Fuck Hailey Bieber” Notably, various brands capitalized on this social media frenzy surrounding the alleged feud between Hailey and Selena. Duolingo contributed its own TikTok content using Justin Bieber’s “Beauty and a Beat” song with a caption expressing solidarity with Selena. Additionally, another TikTok account dedicated to selling “sunset lamps” joined in on the action by posting an edit that insinuated Hailey had imitated Selena through sharing a photo including such a lamp

In February 2023, Selena valiantly came to the defense of her friend Taylor Swift when an old TikTok clip resurfaced, which seemingly depicted Hailey making derogatory remarks towards Taylor. A fervent fan reacted by labelling Hailey as a true “mean girl” and even used the Spanish word for bully, “matona,” to emphasize this sentiment. This viral video was accompanied by snake emojis in its caption. Shortly after Gomez surpassed Kylie Jenner as Instagram’s most-followed woman during that same month in 2023; she made an announcement indicating her decision to take a brief hiatus from social media platforms. While it appears that neither party has engaged in any recent dispute nor exchanged new barbs, Gomez’s devoted fans have continued stoking the flames by unearthing past information related to the situation at hand.

In an instance that took place three years back, Selena and Hailey found themselves coincidentally dining at a popular West Hollywood restaurant on the very same day. Rumour had it, originating from an unauthenticated fan account on Twitter, that Hailey accompanied by singer-songwriter Madison Beer requested the establishment’s personnel to play Justin’s hit track “Yummy” with the intention of vexing Selena. Hailey and Madison faced severe online harassment following the incident, prompting Madison to express her love for Selena on Instagram while disavowing any intention to cause harm. This act of kindness was met with negative responses that were deemed by Selena as “disgusting” and she further declared there was no underlying issue.

Despite this response, the situation persisted. Towards the end of 2020, when Selena released her highly popular track “Lose You to Love Me,” which supposedly revolved around Justin Bieber, Hailey inadvertently shared a Summer Walker song titled “I’ll Kill You” on social media shortly after its release. Unfortunately, fans quickly jumped to conclusions and interpreted it as an open threat towards Selena. Consequently, Hailey found herself bombarded once again with messages from devoted supporters of Selena’s music career.

In the year 2022, as Hailey endeavoured to enhance her presence on the platform and establish herself as a prominent lifestyle influencer prior to launching her very own company, Rhode, she encountered a distressing situation. She found herself being subjected to persistent harassment from Selena’s devoted fans on TikTok who resorted to inundating her posts with relentless mentions of “Selena”. Consequently, in order to mitigate this undesirable phenomenon, Hailey made the decision to disable comments on her TikTok account.

Hailey posted a video last April begging people to stop. “Enough time has gone by where it’s valid to leave me alone,” Hailey said. “I beg of you, truly, that’s my only request. Leave me alone.” Sadly, the audio of Hailey pleading went on to become a trending sound used by 23,000 people.

Then, in September, Hailey clarified again that she had no beef with Selena. “I respect her, there’s no drama personally,” she said. Shortly afterward, Selena called the harassment of people online — not specifying Hailey, but again fans assumed — “just vile and disgusting” and “not fair.”

In November of last year, the situation reached a point of such disarray that Selena and Hailey decided to take a photo together, displaying genuine smiles as undeniable evidence that there was no on-going animosity between them. However, despite this gesture, fan accounts dedicated to Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber’s relationship with her (referred to as “Jelena”), or his marriage with Hailey Baldwin have persistently fuelled speculations by asserting that every post made by either Selena or Hailey contains subtle jabs at one another.

Fans are continually obsessed with the idea that the two are copying each other. For example, Selena posted a photo of herself beaming at the camera, while wearing a yellow top with green flowers, on what appears to be kindergarten picture day. Days later, Hailey posted a throwback photo of herself at a similar age, looking up at the camera pouting while sporting blunt bangs. Immediately, hundreds of compilation videos declared it a copycat move.

Hailey has become the target of online criticism from Selena’s devoted fan base, who has taken to posting a multitude of videos expressing their dislike for her. Some fans even go as far as dedicating entire accounts solely focused on this hatred towards Hailey. An example is a TikTok account named “second choice,” which cleverly alludes to the notion that Hailey was seen by some as Justin’s second option after his relationship with Selena. In fact, the user behind this account claims in their biography that they were blocked by Hailey on Instagram. This particular TikTok account has gained significant attention since its inception last May, accumulating an impressive 4.3 million views across its various video uploads.

Brands capitalizing on this conflict and proclaiming their allegiance to Selena ensure a favourable reputation boost. The comparison between the engagement of posts related to Selena versus those related to Hailey exhibits a significant disparity in likes. In particular, content tagged with #TeamSelena has amassed an impressive 1.7 billion views; conversely, content featuring #TeamHailey only garners a modest 152 million views.

However, there appears to be a gradual shift favouring Hailey as well. A discernible pattern is emerging where individuals are recognizing that many of the women allegedly feuding with Selena happen to be her ex-boyfriends’ former partners.

Numerous individuals remain perplexed by Selena’s inability or unwillingness to simply ignore negative videos rather than advocating for kindness afterwards. On TikTok, one user shared a humorous video meme accompanied by the caption “Selena Gomez observing her fans bullying every woman she mentions.” Unsurprisingly, the comment section features numerous people expressing agreement with this sentiment.

Hailey has experienced a significant increase in harassment whenever Selena interacts with negative videos made by fans. Despite Selena’s efforts to address and condemn the bullying that Hailey faces, it appears that her actions have had unintended consequences.

Justine Skye, Hailey’s closest companion, has likewise encountered trolling. In an extensive post on social media last Friday, Justine attributed the alleged feud between Hailey and Selena to their fans. She expressed her belief that regardless of what anybody says, their followers are unwilling to accept the truth. Shockingly, some fans have even taken it upon themselves to locate Justine’s phone number and send her racist messages as a form of abuse.

Hailey Bieber reached out to me and let me know that she has been receiving death threats and such hateful negativity,” Selena wrote in an Instagram story. “This isn’t what I stand for. No one should have to experience hate or bullying. I’ve always advocated for kindness and really want this all to stop.”  For the first time, Selena started following Hailey on Instagram — and just a few hours later, Hailey followed her back.  Immediately following Selena’s plea for harmony on Friday, Hailey issued a response. “I express my gratitude to Selena for her vocal stance, as we have recently engaged in discussions regarding finding resolution amidst the continuous narrative surrounding us,” conveyed Hailey through an Instagram story. She further acknowledged that misunderstandings and misinterpretations can arise from any situation. However, it appears that the individuals dictating this on-going conflict are none other than the fans themselves, who demonstrate no inclination towards ceasing their involvement in this matter. While many of Selena’s TikTok followers commend her for showing kindness towards Hailey, their comments suggest that they won’t refrain from harassing her. Instead, these individuals perceive this as another instance where Selena demonstrates moral superiority over Justin who allegedly stands idly by while his wife receives death threats.

Some fans are proposing a shift in focus toward targeting Justin instead. “It is peculiar how Justin isn’t receiving an equivalent amount of hate amidst this whole drama involving Selena and Hailey… Let’s redirect our energy here,” tweeted one fan of Selena’s.

• – ANALYSING TIKTOKS

I came across some tiktoks regarding the controversy and realized fans have taken the toxic fandom and harassment to another level with all the conspiracy theories and comparison videos. In many videos it was showcased as if Justin still loves Selena and deep inside Hailey knows about it. For example- Justin’s reaction when he saw Selena at 2022 Grammy awards. Moreover, there are people posting tiktoks about how Selena and Justin still communicate with each other through their songs. There were even stories regarding how it was Justin who contacted Selena instead of Hailey to post on her story to ask her fans to stop all this as Hailey was receiving death threats. People in the comment section had a lot to say like “men will take any opportunity to contact their ex”, “imagine the man who emotionally abused you asking you to stick up for his wife who has bullied you”.in one of the tiktoks there were theories about how Justin’s mom hates Hailey and want Justin to leave her and how she has always loved Selena. There are other videos about how Hailey was obsessed with both Selena and Justin since childhood and the tactics and psychological facts she has used since an early age to get Justin. Moreover, the tiktoks also mentioned how she copied Selena in every way possible including clothes, tattoos and even her words and there are so many comparison videos showcasing all the times Hailey copied Selena. People said she copied Selena to fit into the category of what Justin was familiar with. As if all of it wasn’t enough already but people went worse when there were tiktoks about how Hailey and her father took help of a Jewish black magician to do black magic regarding a love spell on Justin and there were all these clips to prove how all of this must be true. In addition, there were also comparison videos of how Justin treats Hailey vs. Selena. It showed clips of how nice he was with Selena and how trashy he treated Hailey in comparison. Also, there was another tiktok about how Justin always tries to show off his Selena tattoo and Hailey always tries to hide it. Along with all these hateful tiktoks, there were people who posted really nasty, hateful and harassing comments for Hailey. All the links to the referred tiktoks will be attached below-

• – Links to tiktoks (CITATIONS AT THE END OF DOCUMENT)
• – https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNXshE4u/, https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNXseQrx/ ,https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNXsBR2D/, https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNXp3s7K/ ,https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNXs2m5U/, https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNXsYjYK/, https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNXs17wy/, https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNXsYxhS/, https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNXsjPe7/, https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNXsMe9e/,

https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNXsaU8n/

• – ANALYSING AUDIENCE BEHAVIOUR

The behaviour exhibited by the audience demonstrates a deep and passionate devotion to their favourite celebrities, particularly in regards to the alleged feud between Hailey Bieber and Selena Gomez. This phenomenon highlights how interactions among famous individuals on social media can transform personal disagreements into public spectacles, thereby shedding light on the power of celebrity influence within broader society. The toxic nature of this fandom towards both Hailey Bieber and Selena Gomez exemplifies how online communities have the ability to amplify conflicts with detrimental effects on public figures’ lives. Within this intense focus surrounding their supposed rivalry lays an environment characterized by online harassment, conspiracy theories, as well as content manipulation. Fans are often quick to take sides in such disputes using hashtags like #TeamSelena or #TeamHailey, leading them to become deeply entrenched within these conflicts while resorting to aggressive actions aimed at defending their chosen celebrity. One key factor fuelling this toxicity is the anonymity afforded by various online platforms that allows individuals to express extreme opinions without fear of immediate consequences—a distance which facilitates harmful behaviours ranging from trolling and dedicated hate accounts all the way up unfounded rumour-mongering campaigns devised solely for damaging reputations. This toxic fan culture not only takes a toll on targeted celebrities’ mental well-being but also contributes significantly toward fostering an overall atmosphere of negativity throughout cyberspace. Indeed, continuous acts of harassment including death threats can result in real-world implications—evidenced notably through Hailey Bieber’s unfortunate experience at a recent public event—which serve as stark reminders showcasing just how dark certain aspects of fervent fandoms can be. Crucially though, this corrosive behaviour isn’t merely limited exclusively supporting one beloved star; it frequently involves attacking perceived rivals instead—an action perpetuating animosity whilst amplifying existing tensions between individual celebrities—thus generating a self-perpetuating cycle that feeds upon itself continuously over time. In essence then, what emerges from observing instances where fandom becomes truly toxic is a glimpse into the darker recesses of online communities, highlighting an urgent need for engagement characterized by responsibility and respect. The impact on celebrities’ lives cannot be overstated: not only does this toxicity shape public perceptions but it also creates an environment wherein personal disputes are magnified to unprecedented levels—leading to tangible consequences while concurrently contributing towards nurturing a deeply unsettling virtual culture.

In this particular context, the affective structures that drive the audience are rooted in intense emotions such as love, admiration, loyalty on one hand and negative emotions like resentment, animosity, frustration on the other. The emotional content generated by fans comprises of various videos that showcase adoration towards their chosen idol (Selena Gomez) while expressing disdain for another (Hailey Bieber). This amplifies a stark division within the fan base – creating a polarized affective direction. The objectives or agenda of these fandoms seem to revolve around protecting and promoting their preferred celebrity figure (Selena Gomez), while simultaneously criticizing or opposing others (Hailey Bieber). Such fervour is reflected in dedicated accounts specifically created for this purpose along with memes and comments laden with profound sentiments. This level of intensity suggests an emotionally charged relationship between fans and the celebrities involved – indicating a deep investment from both parties. The object of affection – Selena Gomez possesses significant evocative power which can be seen through unwavering support and allegiance demonstrated by her followers. Conversely, Hailey Bieber becomes subject to negative affects due to perceived actions or conflicts which leaves a potent impact on audience’s emotions. Through this dynamic interplay we witness how influential celebrities hold sway over shaping emotional landscapes within their devoted fan bases. In the scholarly essay written by William Proctor and Bridget Kies, a comprehensive examination is conducted on the detrimental behaviours exhibited by specific fan communities towards those who deviate from their predetermined norms. This article sheds light on how such actions have transformed into significant cultural clashes within fandoms. The authors assert that these practices not only inflict harm upon individuals but also pose a threat to society at large, emphasizing the importance of fostering an atmosphere of inclusivity and acceptance within fan communities (Proctor & Kies). There exists a clear distinction between passionate fandom and toxic fandom. In order to maintain a healthy environment within fan communities, it is imperative to encourage certain behaviours while discouraging others. There are specific behaviours that ought to be discouraged unequivocally. Online harassment stands out as one prominent example along with gatekeeping which stifles inclusivity within communities. Toxic entitlement also falls into this category of undesirable conduct among fans alike. Additionally, disrespecting creators or dismissing differing perspectives only fosters an unwelcoming atmosphere detrimental both individually and collectively for fellow enthusiasts. To create flourishing and optimistic fan communities, fostering a culture firmly rooted in respectfulness becomes paramount alongside promoting empathy amongst its members without exception Lastly, inclusivity lies at the core foundation where all fans can thrive together harmoniously (Arouh, 2020).  Active participation in creating, sharing, and consuming content within a social context defines participatory culture. This form of engagement blurs the traditional boundaries between consumers and producers, leading to collaboration, collective creativity, and a sense of community. Often hailed for its role in democratizing content creation, participatory culture takes a different turn when it intersects with conspiracy theories. Consequently, it evolves into what is known as participatory conspiracy culture. In this context, individuals actively contribute actively to the creation and dissemination of unfounded narratives involving secret plots, cover-ups, or malicious intent, the result is an environment rife with toxicity. Participatory conspiracy culture thrives on misinformation dissemination and disinformation campaigns that sow discord among people by polarizing them into opposing factions – “us versus them” mentalities become prevalent. The consequences are not limited to online spaces; individuals targeted by these conspiracies can face real-world harm too. The presence of participatory conspiracy culture on the internet can have negative consequences, as it facilitates the dissemination of false information, amplifies baseless assertions, and undermines trust in reliable sources. Moreover, this phenomenon creates a conducive space for dangerous conspiracy theories to thrive and further divide online communities through polarization. It is essential to evaluate these adverse effects critically and strive towards encouraging responsible sharing of information while promoting critical thinking skills (de Wildt & Aupers, 2023).  The intricate and noxious relationship between Selena Gomez, Hailey Bieber, and their respective fan bases on social media epitomizes a troubling form of negative engagement. This detrimental involvement encompasses the incessant continuation of disputes, speculation, and mistreatment that result in emotional distress for those involved with tangible consequences extending into real life. The obsessive scrutiny and manipulation of seemingly benign posts on social platforms, the unfounded creation of conspiracy theories, the orchestration of coordinated assaults, and the unceasing propagation of negativity all contribute to this type of adverse participation. As a consequence of these protracted conflicts, relentless nature shows its impact spilling over into reality; examples include Hailey Bieber being subjected to death threats along with both her associates experiencing racist harassment. Such behaviour not only inflicts harm upon those directly implicated but also perpetuates an atmosphere characterized by online toxicity, bullying tactics as well as manipulative tendencies. Despite some efforts made by both Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber to address these issues while advocating for kindness towards one another amidst turbulent circumstances – it is evident that certain fans remain steadfastly devoted to fuelling this conflict which raises serious concerns regarding dark participation levels within society at large. It serves as a stark reminder highlighting how damaging social media-driven toxicity can be: eroding empathy alongside respect for others through obsession-fuelled interactions. The concept of “dark participation” pertains to a wide range of detrimental actions displayed by individuals within online platforms, encompassing comment sections. These activities can take the form of trolling, cyber bullying, hate speech dissemination, propagation of disinformation, and involvement in confrontational or disruptive exchanges. Deviant remarks frequently serve as an embodiment of dark participation and consist of content that is unsuitable, offensive, or injurious in nature. Such comments may involve personal assaults, discriminatory language and behaviour, false information transmission among other types of communication disruptions. (Frischlich et al.,2019). All of this leads to cyber bullying and trolling which was the case in Hailey- Selena feud. The phenomena of cyber bullying and trolling represent harmful behaviours that exploit technology, especially the internet, to engage in acts of harassment, intimidation, or denigration towards others. These actions can have profound psychological and emotional consequences for the victims involved, potentially leading to conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, and even contemplation of suicide. The recent events surrounding Hailey Bieber, Selena Gomez, and Justin Bieber on various social media platforms encapsulate intricate themes relating to celebrity culture within online spaces and how social media influences personal relationships. Moreover, this situation sheds light on the significant impact that fan communities possess in shaping public opinions regarding these celebrities while also highlighting the challenges faced when managing both public narratives and private connections under constant scrutiny from a global audience. Furthermore, it serves as an example illustrating how online behaviour towards individuals in the limelight is directly linked with instances of cyber bullying and trolling (nicol 2012).

CONCLUSION

The dynamics surrounding contemporary fandoms, exemplified through the complex relationship between Selena Gomez, Hailey Bieber, and their respective fanbases, highlight the multifaceted nature of online participation. While these fandoms offer a platform for shared enthusiasm, they can also transform into toxic environments characterized by harassment, cyber bullying, trolling, dark participation, intense emotions and divisive narratives in celebrity culture. Recent controversies involving these celebrities shed light on the negative aspects of fan culture where social media platforms serve as battlefields for escalated conflicts, conspiracy theories, and orchestrated campaigns. The ramifications extend beyond virtual spaces as this behaviour affects the mental well-being of celebrities while contributing to real-world consequences such as harassment or even threats to life. This case study emphasizes the urgent demand for responsible conduct in online interactions coupled with respectful dialogue and critical examination of participatory cultures in order to mitigate detrimental effects associated with toxic fandoms. It also prompts us to reconsider not only how celebrities influence fans’ behaviours but also highlights the role that social media platforms play in curbing online toxicity effectively. Ultimately serving as a cautionary tale, this saga featuring Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber underscores the importance placed upon empathy, understanding, and positive engagement rather than destructive rivalries within celebrity culture.

CITATIONS

NON ACADEMIC SOURCES

MailOnline, J. C. for. (2023, March 17). Selena Gomez fans claim “simmering feud” with Hailey Bieber is still not over as they pinpoint every time Justin’s wife “mocked” former Disney star on Social Media. Daily Mail Online. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11862983/Selena-Gomez-fans-claim-simmering-feud-Hailey-Bieber-not-over.html

Guardian News and Media. (2023b, March 29). What is behind the hounding of Hailey Bieber? toxic fandom and divisive algorithms | Arwa Mahdawi. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/mar/29/what-is-behind-the-hounding-of-hailey-bieber-toxic-fandom-and-divisive-algorithms

Laing, S. (2023, March 10). We’re hitting peak toxic fan behaviour. The Kit. https://thekit.ca/culture/culture-celebrity/selena-vs-hailey-fans/

Dahir, I. (2023, March 24). If you hate Hailey Bieber, you can thank Selena Gomez stans. BuzzFeed News. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ikrd/selena-gomez-hailey-bieber-feud-fan-created

Selleck, E. (2023, February 28). Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber Drama: A complete timeline of their feud. Page Six. https://pagesix.com/article/selena-gomez-and-hailey-bieber-a-timeline-of-their-drama/

ACADEMIC SOURCES

Proctor, W., & Kies, B. (n.d.). Editors’ introduction: On toxic fan practices and the New Culture Wars. http://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/30957/1/on%20toxic%20fan%20practices.pdf

Arouh, M. (2020, December 1). Toxic fans: Distinctions and ambivalence – doaj. Ex-centric Narratives: Journal of Anglophone Literature, Culture and Media. https://doaj.org/article/eb3748b0f1b94cbca9f046210a34854c

de Wildt, L., & Aupers, S. (2023). Participatory conspiracy culture: Believing, doubting and playing with conspiracy theories on reddit. Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies, 135485652311789. https://doi.org/10.1177/13548565231178914

Frischlich, L., Boberg, S., & Quandt, T. (2019). Comment sections as targets of dark participation? journalists’ evaluation and moderation of deviant user comments. Journalism Studies, 20(14), 2014–2033. https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670x.2018.1556320

Nicol, S. (2012). Cyber-bullying and trolling. Youth Studies Australia, 31(4), 3–4.

TIKTOK POSTS

Milan. (2023, March 21). Charot disease #bat #firstlove [Video file]. Retrieved from https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNXshE4u/

12. (2023, March 21). #justinbieber #selenagomez #teamjelena #jelena #selenator #selenators #selenagomezedit 12.2K #selenagomezvideos #teamselenald of her #justinandselena #fy #fyp #fyp > #fypage #fypジ®viraltriend2713#fypdongggggggg [Video file]. Retrieved from https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNXseQrx/

Danny. (2023, May 21). Justin Bieber texted Selena Gomez allegedly… [Video file]. Retrieved from https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNXsBR2D/

Jossy. (n.d.).( 21 March) #foryou #haileybieber #selenagomez [Video file]. Retrieved from https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNXp3s7K/

Psych Now. (2023, March 31). How Hailey Bieber Used Dark Psychology to Steal Justin Bieber [Video file]. Retrieved from https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNXs2m5U

Shaipeee. (2023, March 5). What do you Think? #justinbieber #haileybaldwin #stephenbaldwin 2486 #selenagomez @Selena Gomez @Justin Bieber @Hailey Bieber [Video file]. Retrieved from https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNXsYjYK/

CurrentTimeline. (2023, March 13). Selena and Hailey hash it out. God’s Timing is Always Right #selenagomez #selena #haileybieber #hailey #bieber #justinbieber #loseyoutoloveme #bully #unfollow #selenators #biebertiktok #thebiebers @selenagomez @haileybieber @justinbieber [Video file]. Retrieved from https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNXs17wy/

bangtanpurple.u. (2023, March 11). #selenagomez #jelena #justinbieber [Video file]. Retrieved from https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNXsYxhS/

Pop Culture Historian. (2023, March 9). Part 24 | How Justin Bieber treats Hailey vs how he treated Selena #teamselena #selenagomez #jelena #justinbieber #haileybieber [Video file]. Retrieved from https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNXsjPe7/

Marianne. (2023, March 1). Part 5 | Hailey and Selena tea #selenagomez #haileybieber #thetea #creepy [Video file]. Retrieved from https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSNXsMe9e/