FACEOFF: Can fans go too far?

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With social media’s continuous growth in popularity, celebrities have become the forefront of many people’s minds across the world. When scrolling through social media, many find themselves obsessing over specific celebrities unlike anyone before. Terms including “fangirl” or “superfan” describe this group of people who devote themselves to a singer, band, actor, etc. These terms often hold a bad reputation due to the mass media painting them as “obsessed,” but the truth behind a “superfan” is not an obsession over an artist; instead, it remains the complete dedication and idolization of someone who they see as a role model.

Some may underestimate the ultimate power fans hold. Take Taylor Swift’s fans for example: when Ticketmaster failed to provide millions with tickets they took matters into their own hands, ‘Swifties’ sued Ticketmaster for violating antitrust laws and unfair consumer laws. This demonstrates their authentic dedication to Swift, making right in a wrong situation and their ultimate desire to attend her show. Similarly, when Swift re-released her albums fans immediately backed her up, causing the new re-recorded albums to receive more streams than before.

The term “fan” often appears in the wrong light, which adds to the constant conflict sweeping the internet, specifically between fans arguing over this concept of being the “best” fan. Some characterize the “best” fan as someone who knows all the lyrics to an artist’s songs, or taking interest since day one, but being a fan does not come with a rulebook. Truly loving an artist or even just admiring a song makes someone a fan, which often gets misconstrued by the media. Of course, some “superfans” may go too far, but what about the fans that truly stand beside the artist? Those fans remain the true heart of the fanbase. Looking up to a celebrity should not have a label of shame, especially when that artist inspires millions of people. Anything can go too far, especially with social media, but artists would not have their celebrity status without fans, which demonstrates the immense impact they have on the world.

Ava Garcia Managing Editor a.garcia.thepanther@gmail.com

DESIGN BY PAULA ORTIZ

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Fandom culture provides a community for those who share adoration for a celebrity, athlete, influencer or other idols. “Fangirling” often serves as a form of momentary escapism, and while this creates a positive sense of belonging among fans, this adoration can turn into obsession.

These “die-hard” fans can form parasocial relationships with their idols, meaning one side exhausts energy into another individual while the other is utterly unaware of their existence or dedication. Fans may lose their sense of reality and the lines between admiration and reciprocated friendship are blurred. Because of the nature of these relationships, obsessive fans often overstep the boundaries of normal enthusiasm and breach the individual’s privacy.

The belief that a fan has a personal relationship with their idol often places celebrities in danger. Many celebrities have had their addresses leaked over the internet, and given access to their location, certain obsessive fans justify going to their homes. For these reasons, celebrities commonly have stalkers, because some fans have a false sense of personal connection to this individual.

Likewise, some fans feel the necessity to “protect” their favorite influencers, creating unnecessary conflict with others over the internet. For example, the recent social media debacle between Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber. People speculated that an Instagram post made by Bieber targeted Gomez, and her fans responded aggressively, attacking Bieber across several platforms and even sending death threats, dropping her following by thousands — all in Gomez’s defense.

Though Gomez’s fans may have justified their actions, ultimately both Gomez and Bieber spoke out about the situation, saying that the conflict arose out of thin air. Gomez expressed disappointment in her fans’ actions, disregarding one of her most prominent messages: spreading positivity and kindness.

With the popularity of cancel culture over social media, some fans feel as though they are required to police celebrities’ lives. Fans hold their idols to an unrealistic standard, ignoring the fact that they are human and make mistakes. While they may believe that they are morally doing the right thing, these actions ultimately perpetuate toxicity and hate.

Jasmine Judge Buisiness Editor j.judge.thepanther@gmail.com

PHOTO BY MADELINE VOLPE