Selena Gomez Could Lose Title of 'Most Followed Woman' on Instagram Amid Deportation Video Backlash

Express Tribune

31-01-2025

Selena Gomez's reign as the most followed woman on Instagram could be in jeopardy, with the singer and actress reportedly losing over 700,000 followers in the last month.
With a staggering 422 million followers, Gomez took the crown from Kylie Jenner back in March 2023.
However, recent events including backlash over her emotional video about deportations and the critical reception of her movie Emilia Pérez , have led to a significant drop in her follower count.
Earlier this week, Gomez shared a tearful video on Instagram in response to President Donald Trump's mass deportations of undocumented immigrants.
The emotional clip quickly sparked a backlash, particularly from Republican and MAGA supporters, including U.S. Senate candidate Sam Parker, who went as far as calling for the Bad Liar singer—who is of Mexican descent—to be deported.
Although Gomez deleted the video shortly after posting it, the damage had been done. In the 24 hours following the video's release, she lost over 44,000 followers in a single day.
By the end of the week, Gomez had shed a total of 116,833 followers, with her overall loss reaching 808,500 over the past 30 days.
CritiqueJeu , an app analytics firm, tracked the decline in Gomez's social media following and cited her involvement in Emilia Pérez as another factor contributing to the dip.
The film, despite earning 13 Academy Award nominations, has been heavily criticized, especially by Mexican audiences, who have criticized Gomez's Spanish language skills and the film's portrayal of their culture.
The backlash, combined with the response to her deportation video, has made 2025 a rocky start for the actress, whose personal and professional controversies are affecting her public image.
As the criticism mounted, a source close to the star explained to MailOnline that Gomez's decision to delete the video was motivated by her concern that it showed "weakness." The source added, 'She realizes that she cannot go up against a Republican backed nation - many of whom are loyal customers of her Rare Beauty brand. She does not wish to alienate. She is going to stay out of politics and in her own lane after that drama.'
Despite her passion for advocating on behalf of immigrants, Gomez reportedly felt that the emotional nature of her video led to it being perceived as counterproductive. 'She realized that the message and video actually turned out to be counterproductive due to her emotional state in the video,' the source continued.
On social media, critics were quick to slam the video, accusing Gomez of being "shallow" and "narcissistic." British journalist Piers Morgan also chimed in, calling it "a new level of absurd celebrity narcissism."
Despite these challenges, Gomez has continued to speak out about her Mexican-American heritage and the importance of immigration reform.
In a 2019 Time magazine essay, she shared her family's immigration story, which began in the 1970s when her aunt crossed the border from Mexico to the U.S. in the back of a truck. She noted, 'As a Mexican American woman, I feel a responsibility to use my platform to be a voice for people who are too afraid to speak.'
As for her massive Instagram following, it remains to be seen whether the loss of followers will be permanent or if Gomez will find a way to recover.
Whatever happens, it's clear that Selena Gomez's journey as a public figure continues to be a whirlwind of highs and lows.