15 Celebrities Hit Hardest By Instagram’s 2026 Bot Purge

You may want to run and check your updated follower count on IG.

Instagram’s latest cleanup of bots and inactive accounts reportedly caused major follower drops across the popular social media platform.

Several celebrities, influencers, athletes, and creators saw millions of followers disappear in a flash as IG targeted suspicious and inactive accounts. According to reports from Yahoo Creators and viral social media posts tracking the changes, the platform’s massive sweep sparked widespread conversation online.

Some users praised the move for improving authenticity, while others questioned how many celebrity followings were inflated before the purge began.

Editor’s Note: Exact follower-loss totals tied to Instagram’s 2026 bot purge vary across reports and social media tracking posts. The figures below reflect estimated drops reported by multiple outlets covering the platform’s cleanup of inactive and suspicious accounts.

These Celebrities Reportedly Lost Millions Of Followers During Instagram’s 2026 Bot Purge

#1. Kylie Jenner

Estimated follower drop: 14 million to 15 million

Kylie Jenner appears to be the biggest individual celebrity name tied to Instagram’s 2026 purge. Yahoo reported her drop at about 15 million, while Dexerto reported about 14 million.

#2. BLACKPINK

Estimated follower drop: 10 million

BLACKPINK’s official group account reportedly lost around 10 million followers. The K-pop group became one of the biggest entertainment accounts affected by the cleanup.

#3. Cristiano Ronaldo

Estimated follower drop: 7 million to 8 million

Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly lost millions during the purge. Dexerto and Pulse reported about 8 million, while Times of India reported around 7 million.

#4. BTS

Estimated follower drop: 7 million

BTS’s official group account reportedly lost around 7 million followers. That placed the K-pop group among the hardest-hit entertainment accounts listed.

#5. Ariana Grande

Estimated follower drop: 5.6 million

Ariana Grande reportedly lost about 5.6 million followers during the purge. Her account ranked among the largest celebrity drops listed by Pulse.

#6. Selena Gomez

Estimated follower drop: 5.5 million to 6 million

Selena Gomez reportedly saw one of the biggest drops among entertainers. Pulse listed her loss near 5.5 million, while Dexerto reported 6 million.

#7. Lionel Messi

Estimated follower drop: 5 million

Lionel Messi reportedly lost about 5 million followers. Times of India said his account dropped from 512 million to 507 million.

#8. Virat Kohli

Estimated follower drop: 2 million to 5 million

Virat Kohli’s reported drop varies by source. Pulse listed it at around 5 million, while Times of India reported nearly 2 million.

#9. Priyanka Chopra

Estimated follower drop: 4 million

Priyanka Chopra reportedly lost about 4 million followers. Chopra first rose to fame after winning Miss World 2000 before becoming one of Bollywood’s biggest actresses and was one of the major Indian celebrities named in purge coverage.

#10. Davido

Estimated follower drop: 1.5 million

Davido reportedly lost about 1.5 million followers. Pulse listed him among Nigerian stars affected by the platform-wide cleanup.

#11. Wizkid

Estimated follower drop: 1.1 million

Wizkid reportedly lost around 1.1 million followers. His account was named among the Afrobeats stars hit by the purge.

#12. Taylor Swift

Estimated follower drop: More than 1 million

Taylor Swift reportedly saw a decline exceeding 1 million followers. Pulse grouped her with Beyoncé as stars who lost more than 1 million.

#13. Beyoncé

Estimated follower drop: More than 1 million

Beyoncé reportedly lost more than 1 million followers during the cleanup. Her name appeared among the global celebrities affected by the purge.

#14. Burna Boy

Estimated follower drop: 750,000

Burna Boy reportedly lost around 750,000 followers. The Afrobeats star was listed among Nigerian entertainers affected by the purge.

#15. Tiwa Savage

Estimated follower drop: 500,000

Tiwa Savage reportedly lost about 500,000 followers. Her account was included among Nigerian celebrity pages that saw visible follower drops.

Why Instagram And Other Social Platforms Regularly Purge Fake Accounts

Instagram and other social media platforms periodically remove inactive, spam, and suspected bot accounts in an effort to improve authenticity across their platforms. These large-scale cleanups can dramatically impact follower counts for celebrities, influencers, brands, and everyday users alike.

Experts say the purges help reduce fake engagement, inflated follower totals, and spam activity that can affect advertising and platform credibility.

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