Why Did Taylor Swift, Virat Kohli, Kylie Jenner and Other Celebrities Lose Millions of Instagram Followers in Couple of Hours? Here's What Meta Said

Instagram has implemented a massive platform-wide update that resulted in global celebrities losing millions of followers within a matter of hours. High-profile figures such as Taylor Swift, Virat Kohli, and Kylie Jenner were among those affected by a sudden reduction in their digital audience as Meta executed a significant sweep of the social media site.

The decline is not a result of a mass unfollowing by fans but rather a deliberate technical intervention by the platform. A spokesperson for Meta confirmed that the disruption was part of a routine process designed to remove inactive and automated accounts to ensure the platform remains authentic for its genuine users. Sameer Rizvi and MS Dhoni Namaz Claim: Fact Checking the Viral Religious Advice Rumours.

Instagram Bot Purge Reason for Declining Follower Counts

Meta clarified that the sudden drop in numbers is due to the systematic removal of bot accounts. The company stated that this is a routine procedure where inactive profiles are purged, and only active followers remain. They further noted that any legitimate accounts that were suspended in error would have their follower counts restored following a successful verification process.

This event, which has been termed the ‘Great Purge of 2026’ by social media users, has targeted some of the most followed accounts globally. The removal of these automated profiles ensures that engagement metrics for influencers and celebrities are based on real human interaction rather than computer-generated activity.

Virat Kohli and Cristiano Ronaldo Impacted by Follower Drop

The sports world saw significant shifts in data provided by third-party tracking services. Indian cricketer Virat Kohli, who previously held a following of 276 million, saw a decrease of 2 million followers. Football icons were also hit hard, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi losing 8 million and 4 million followers, respectively, according to BPT Scans.

Kylie Jenner recorded the most substantial loss during this update. The reality television star and business mogul reportedly lost nearly 15 million followers, making her the most affected individual in this purge. These figures highlight the scale at which automated accounts had previously populated the follower lists of major global stars.

Taylor Swift and BLACKPINK Face Musical Follower Woes

In the music industry, the impact was equally visible across various genres. Taylor Swift, who recently saw a surge in popularity following her 2025 album announcement, lost 4 million followers, bringing her total to 275 million. The K-pop group BLACKPINK saw their official account drop by over 10 million followers, with individual members also seeing six-figure decreases. Aditya Srivastav Noida Viral Video: Gen Z Consultant Shares Brutal Reality of 9-to-6 Corporate Life.

Other pop stars such as Selena Gomez and Ariana Grande each lost 6 million followers, while Justin Bieber saw a reduction of 5 million. These shifts are significant because follower counts serve as a vital tool for monetisation, where top-tier celebrities can earn between 2 million INR and 3 million INR for a single sponsored post.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 07, 2026 07:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).