5 times celebrities saw their Instagram follower counts plummet — and skyrocket — in the midst of 2023's biggest scandals

Doja Cat in September 2023.Evan Agostini/Invision/AP

• In 2023, celebrities saw their Instagram followings seesaw amid major scandals.
• Doja Cat called losing nearly one million followers freeing, while Ariana Madix gained 600,000 after "Scandoval."

Perhaps there's no greater litmus test for scandal than a celebrity's Instagram following.

And in 2023, amid 'mean girl' drama, contentious lawsuits and divorces, and explosive revelations of infidelity, several celebrities — including Selena Gomez, Doja Cat, and Ariana Madix — saw their accounts seesaw as fans rushed to show solidarity and disappointment.

Here are 5 of the biggest follower losses — and some major gains — that took place on the app this year.