Selena Gomez is taking a break from social media once again. On Tuesday, Jan. 9, the singer and actress revealed in an Instagram Story that she was “focusing on what really matters” alongside a video of her current boyfriend, Benny Blanco, having a wholesome moment with two young children. “I’m off social media for a while,” Gomez added. The post from Gomez comes three days after the infamous tea-spilling drama at the 2024 Golden Globe Awards between Gomez, Taylor Swift and Keleigh Teller.
At the award show during a commercial break, cameras caught Gomez apparently telling her besties, Swift and Teller, some drama. Thanks to people online who think they can read lips, rumors started swirling that Gomez told them Kylie Jenner wouldn’t let her take a picture with Timothée Chalamet. The viral video became the new hot topic on social media platforms until Gomez commented on the viral moment in an E! News Instagram post.
The post was captioned, “At tea time, we’d love to know if Selena Gomez was really gossiping about Kylie Jenner & Timothée Chalamet at this year’s #GoldenGlobes.” Gomez commented, “Noooooo, I told Taylor about two of my friends who hooked up. Not that that’s anyone’s business.”
As far as fans know, Gomez and Chalamet share a close friendship, previously working on a Woody Allen movie, A Rainy Day In New York, playing love interests.
The beef is squashed now, though, and fans can all return to their regularly scheduled lives. Well, not really, because Selena Gomez left the internet again. She has never been one to be shy about announcing when she’s going to step back from the internet. In the past, she revealed that she took more than four years off of social media, letting her assistant run her accounts. In April 2022, she appeared on Good Morning America and said staying off social media changed her life completely. “I am happier, I am more present, I connect more with people,” said Gomez.
On two occasions in 2023, she told fans she would stay off social media. The first occasion was in February, as she was involved in a drama involving Kylie Jenner and Hailey Bieber, the wife of Gomez’s ex, Justin Bieber. Fans took a video of Bieber too far, stating that she was mocking Swift. Gomez was on TikTok Live when fans began commenting their questions about the controversy.
Gomez quickly retaliated, stating, “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, 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.”
Months later, she returned, posting on TikTok about her beauty brand Rare Beauty, posting travel selfies on Instagram, but that was short-lived. In October, she took another break due after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by terrorist group Hamas. “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,” Gomez said.” ‘People being tortured and killed or any act of hate towards any one group is horrific.”
“We need to protect ALL people, especially children and stop the violence for good,” said Gomez. “I’m sorry if my words will never be enough for everyone or a hashtag.”
There’s a lot of pressure with being in the public eye. Gomez has been honest and open with her fans since the beginning. Taking breaks from social media is healthy, and seeing hate comments, violence, and negative accusations about yourself is hard. Gomez will always be that girl who stands true to herself and puts her happiness before others — especially with her new man.