(Web Desk) - Meta-owned Instagram has carried out a large-scale cleanup of fake and bot accounts, resulting in the removal of millions of followers from high-profile profiles worldwide, according to multiple reports.
The move has led to sudden and significant drops in follower counts for several global celebrities, sparking widespread attention across social media platforms.
Among those affected are singer Taylor Swift, pop star Ariana Grande, K-pop group BTS, football star Cristiano Ronaldo, Bollywood actor Virat Kohli, singer Selena Gomez, and media personality Kylie Jenner.
Reports suggest Taylor Swift lost around 5 million followers, while Ariana Grande and BTS reportedly saw declines of approximately 7 million each. Cristiano Ronaldo’s account is said to have dropped by nearly 8 million followers.
Kylie Jenner and K-pop group BLACKPINK were also heavily impacted, with reports claiming losses exceeding 10 million followers in some cases.
According to early reports, the purge is part of Meta’s ongoing effort to eliminate fake, spam, and inactive accounts using AI-based moderation systems. The company aims to improve authenticity on the platform and ensure engagement metrics reflect real users.
Experts note that the follower drop is not linked to hacking or cyberattacks, but rather a systematic cleanup of inauthentic activity. However, they also warn that some inactive or memorialized accounts may have been mistakenly affected.
While many users have welcomed the move as a step toward greater transparency, concerns remain about the potential removal of legitimate but inactive accounts.
Meta has not yet issued an official statement regarding the scale of the operation or the final number of accounts removed.