Selena Gomez says being the most-followed woman on Instagram is ‘frustrating’

Selena Gomez has opened up about what it’s like to have such a large following on Instagram.

Recently, the Rare Beauty founder appeared at the Time100 Summit in New York City as a panellist, where she talked about beauty standards, mental health, and being the most followed woman on Instagram.

Gomez has been known for taking to the platform multiple times to claim that she was “quitting” Instagram, with one of her attempts being shortly after she confirmed that she was in a relationship with record producer, Benny Blanco.

During the summit, she addressed what she actually gets out of the many breaks she takes from Instagram.

“Well, I took four years off of Instagram, and I let my team post for me for those years,” she said, according to Elle. “I felt like it was the most rewarding gift I gave myself. I think people, especially young kids, it’s - you’re sitting there so focused on what looks wonderful when everything that’s meant to be wonderful to you is not from here.”

“[During my break], I was more present. I was happier. I would actually get real phone calls [from] people telling me about their story, and I could actually hear it instead of going: ‘Oh, I already know what you did today.’ It’s more human.”

Currently, the Only Murders in the Building actress is still actively on Instagram but said she does find it difficult to keep quiet online when news about her loved ones comes up.

“I just - I find it frustrating and then I get a little mouthy, and I wanna defend people I love,” she said during the summit.

Gomez also acknowledged how important the breaks from social media are for her and said she tries to avoid “paying attention” to what’s going on and only post occasionally.

Back in December, Gomez ended up announcing a break after she posted a photo of her and Blanco together with her sweetly leaning her head on his shoulder and an additional photo of her wearing a ring with the letter “B” on it for his initials.

Gomez ended up taking to some of her fan page accounts to respond to commenters who weren’t happy about the relationship.

“I don’t understand. If you actually care about me. This is my happiest. If you don’t feel free to say whatever you want,” she responded to one of them. “But I will never allow your words to guide my life. Ever. I’m done. if you can’t accept me at my happiest then don’t be in [my] life at all.”

She continued to fight back until one person accused her of “trolling” before Gomez made the claim she was quitting. “Never trolling. I’m leaving Insta for a while until I have work again. I just stand up for what I believe in, I have no shame in doing that,” she wrote “I love my fans more than anything in the world.”

Again in January of this year, she announced another break following the 81st annual Golden Globes.

A viral clip from the event showed Gomez talking to friend Taylor Swift, which many suggesting the conversation was about Kylie Jenner allegedly saying “no” when she asked Timothee Chalamet for a photo.

Gomez countered this rumour at the time, claiming that it was actually about two friends who had hooked up. She then took to her Instagram Story to write: “I’m off social for a while. I’m focusing on what really matters.”