LeBron James is the latest celebrity to take a break from social media, announcing his hiatus on November 21st with a post on Instagram and X, formerly Twitter. His decision followed a reshared post by Kevin Durant’s manager, Rich Kleiman, critiquing the media’s negative sports coverage. LeBron’s move mirrors a growing trend among stars like Selena Gomez, who paused her online presence in January to focus on “what really matters,” and Billie Eilish, who deleted her social media apps after facing online hate. Whether it’s about mental health, avoiding negativity, or stepping back from the digital spotlight, these breaks highlight how even the most high-profile figures need time to unplug.
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00:00LeBron James is the latest celeb to hit pause on his digital presence, announcing his decision
00:05on Wednesday to step back from platforms like Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter.
00:11Social media can be a lot, even and especially for high-profile celebrities.
00:16On November 21st, LeBron James, NBA's all-time leading scorer and Los Angeles Lakers star,
00:22posted,
00:23"...getting off social media for the time being.
00:25Y'all take care."
00:27This came shortly after he re-shared a post by Kevin Durant's business manager, Rich
00:31Klyman, criticizing the media's negative coverage of sports.
00:35Klyman wrote on X,
00:36"...we can all acknowledge that sports is the last part of society that universally
00:40brings people together.
00:42So why can't the coverage do the same?
00:44It's only clickbait when you say it."
00:46And LeBron isn't alone.
00:47In 2024, other stars like Selena Gomez and Billie Eilish also announced social media
00:52breaks.
00:54Gomez, who's been vocal about her struggles with online negativity, took a break from
00:57social media in January of 2024.
01:00The star took to her Instagram story with a picture of herself and boyfriend Benny Blanco,
01:04writing,
01:05"...I'm off social for a while.
01:06I want to focus on what really matters."
01:08Meanwhile, in March of 2023, while on the Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend podcast, Billie
01:13Eilish told fans that she was prioritizing her mental health.
01:17Eilish explained that after getting hate online, she decided to remove all social media apps
01:22from her phone, saying,
01:24"...I deleted it all off my phone, which is such a huge deal for me, because Conan,
01:29you didn't have the internet to grow up with."
01:31Whether it's dealing with criticism, prioritizing mental health, or simply needing a digital
01:36detox, these breaks remind us that even the biggest names need time to unplug.