Meta Platforms-owned Instagram has carried out a large-scale cleanup of bot and inactive accounts in 2026, leading to significant drops in follower counts for several global celebrities, influencers and brands as the platform pushes to improve authenticity and engagement quality.
According to reports shared online by PopBase, the cleanup affected a number of high-profile accounts, including entrepreneur and reality television personality Kylie Jenner, who reportedly lost nearly 15 million followers. Several other celebrities and public figures also saw notable declines in their follower numbers over a short period.
In a statement,Meta said the action was part of its routine effort to remove inactive and fake accounts from the platform and clarified that active and verified users were not impacted.
"As part of our routine process to remove inactive accounts, some Instagram accounts may have noticed updates to their follower counts. Active followers remain unaffected, and any restored suspended account will be included in the count again after verification," a Meta spokesperson said.
The cleanup drive, which users on social media dubbed the "Great Purge of 2026," sparked widespread discussion online as users shared screenshots showing sudden changes in follower counts and engagement metrics.
Among the major accounts affected were football stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, Indian cricketer Virat Kohli and K-pop group BLACKPINK.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Vinay Sharma (@vinayshaarma)
Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly lost around 8 million followers, while Lionel Messi saw a decline of nearly 4 million. Virat Kohli's follower count dropped by about 2 million.
In the music industry, Taylor Swift reportedly lost nearly 4 million followers, while Ariana Grande and Selena Gomez each saw declines of around 6 million followers. Justin Bieber reportedly lost close to 5 million followers.
BLACKPINK's official Instagram account reportedly lost more than 10 million followers, while members Lisa, Jennie, Rosé and Jisoo also saw noticeable declines in their individual follower counts.
Industry analysts noted that celebrity accounts are often more vulnerable to large follower reductions because of the sheer scale of their audiences and the accumulation of inactive or automated accounts over time.
The update is being viewed by many users and digital media observers as part ofa broader industry effort to improve transparency and provide a more accurate reflection of real engagement on social media platforms.
Follower counts remain an important metric for celebrities and influencers, particularly in relation to sponsorship deals, digital visibility and promotional campaigns. Marketing industry estimates suggest that top global personalities can earn millions of dollars for a single sponsored post because of their online reach and audience engagement.
Despite the decline in follower counts, experts said the cleanup does not indicate a loss of popularity for affected celebrities, but rather reflects Instagram's ongoing efforts to strengthen platform authenticity and reduce artificial engagement generated by bots and inactive profiles.
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