Words have consequences.
Earlier this month, a contingency of social media users felt that Kylie Jenner took a subtle jab at Selena Gomez. Since then, the reality TV star has seen her Instagram following shrink by a million followers, SocialBlade.com reported.
Although this might not seem like a big deal to many people, social media followings are equivalent to currency with the younger generation.
The situation began after a TikTok user suggested that Kylie and Hailey Bieber shaded Selena about her eyebrows. Although Kylie denied ribbing the "Only Murders In The Building" actress, her Instagram following has dipped from 380 million to 379 million fans in a matter of a few weeks. Selena's Instagram following, meanwhile, has increased by nearly 10 million followers during that span. With 390 million followers, Selena is the most-followed woman on the platform.
Still, both women insist there's no feud. After the aforementioned TikTok user alleged that Kylie's remarks were pointed and derogatory, the makeup maven replied, "This is reaching. No shade towards Selena ever and I didn't see her eyebrow posts! u guys are making something out of nothing. This is silly."
Selena, for that matter, seemed to back Kylie. "Agreed @kyliejenner. It's all unnecessary. I'm a fan of Kylie!," the "Lose You To Love Me" singer wrote.
Around that same time, Selena announced she was taking a social media break.
"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," she said in a TikTok live video. "I'm good. I love the way I am I don't care, I'm big, I'm not, I don't care. I love who I am. And yeah, I'm gonna be taking a second from social media, because this is a little silly. And I'm 30, I'm too old for this, so…but I love you guys so much! And I will see you guys sooner than later, I just… I'm just gonna just take a break from everything."
Selena's break didn't last long, and she's posted on Instagram several times over the past week… to a few more followers, no less.