Selena Gomez has announced she is taking a step back from social media amid the “violence and terror” in the world.
The Only Murders In the Building actress, 31, took to Instagram Monday to share that she has been horrified in recent weeks by news headlines from across the globe and that she would be removing herself from social media for a while.
“I’ve been taking a break from social media because my heart breaks to see all of the horror, hate, violence and terror that’s going on in the world. People being tortured and killed or any act of hate towards any one group is horrific,” she wrote in a Story. “We need to protect ALL people, especially children and stop the violence for good.”
Gomez is seemingly referencing the ongoing war in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas and reports that thousands of Palestinians and Israelis have been killed in the conflict since early October.
According to Save the Children, more than 3,257 children have been reported killed in the three weeks since the fighting ramped up on October 7.
@SelenaGomez
In her Instagram Story, Gomez commented on her silence over the past few weeks, which has been noticed by fans.
The Rare Beauty founder’s last post was on October 7, advertising a partnership between her beauty brand and Sephora to donate the proceeds from her sales to the Rare Impact Fund, an organization focused on expanding mental health services to young people.
“I’m sorry if my words will never be enough for everyone or a hashtag. I just can’t stand by innocent people getting hurt. That’s what makes me sick,” Gomez wrote in her Oct. 30 Instagram story.
“I wish I could change the world. But a post won’t,” the actress, who is the third most followed celebrity on Instagram, shared. Gomez has 431 million followers on the photo-sharing app.
This is the second social media break of the year for the Wizards of Waverly Place star after she previously took a brief pause back in February.
Gomez hopped on TikTok Live earlier this year and announced she would be taking a break from social media after coming to Taylor Swift’s defense on the app over a video involving Hailey Bieber.
“I’m very happy. I’m so blessed. I have the best friends, the best fans in the whole world and I just couldn’t be happier. I’m good. I love who I am. I don’t care. I’m big. I’m not. I don’t care. I love who I am,” Gomez said. “And yeah, I’m gonna be taking a second from social media, ’cause this is a little silly.”
“And I’m 30, I’m too old for this,” she added at the time. “But I love you guys so much. And I will see you guys sooner than later. I’m gonna just take a break from everything.”
Furthermore, Gomez had just returned to Instagram in January after four years off the app. In that time, she handed her account over to her assistant.
“I haven’t been on the internet in four and a half years… It has changed my life completely,” she told Good Morning America in an interview. “I am happier, I am more present, I connect more with people.”
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