EXCLUSIVEBella Thorne 'Doesn't Like' What Social Media Has Become: 'It Took Away a Lot of Happiness From Me'
Bella Thorne isn't a fan of certain social media platforms.
Bella Thorne has been in the spotlight for the majority of her life — and she can say with certainty that social media is not what it used to be.
The famed actress, 27, sits down for an exclusive chat with OK! to reflect on her relationship with the online world while addressing how she's learned to handle the haters as she discusses her partnership with the leading content creator platform Passes.
The actress exclusively tells OK! why she has distanced herself from Instagram and similar apps.
"We have no more meaningful connections through all the social platforms," Thorne admits, as she explains why she's switched her focus to Passes in recent months due to the app's ability to allow her to connect deeper with fans. "It went from meaningful to, 'I have to do this for your approval,' and I just don't like it."
Out of all the apps, the Shake It Up star would say Instagram is her least favorite.
Bella Thorne misses being able to be 'wacky' on social media.
"I try not to really go on Instagram," she confesses. "I work with a social team. I pick my photos, I pick my captions and then randomly I'll go on when I know something's been posted and start replying to people."
"But if I looked at my screen time, probably Instagram and other social media platforms besides Passes would be my lowest," she adds.
While having a presence online is, in a way, essential for Thorne's career, she has figured out a way to only use social media in doses.
"I try to give myself a break a lot and always be unplugged, in a sense," she shares. "I think, especially when you talk about things and then [they show up in your] newsfeed — just because I talked about that thing doesn't mean I want to see that in my newsfeed."
- 'Why Blend In?': Singer Bella Thorne Admits 'Showing Off My Imperfections Gave Me The Confidence I Have Now'
- 'I Love You Z': Bella Thorne Does Not Want Any 'Beauty Battles' With Zendaya
- 'I Didn't Find It Very Organic': 'WandaVision' Star Elizabeth Olsen Explains Why She Quit Instagram Quickly After Joining
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
Bella Thorne says Instagram is the app with the lowest screen time on her phone.
"We already deal with depression in so many other [aspects of] life. It doesn't feel good to also be subjected to all these videos and [related] stuff. I just don't wanna see it, honestly. The brain can only handle so much," she says.
Elaborating on her disapproval of how social media's algorithm's are curated, Thorne mentions how large corporations monopolizing the business have only seemed to make things worse.
"When we're talking about these big tech companies, and in general, I never wanna be subjected to anybody else's algorithm and I don't want my fans to be subjected to that same thing," the Disney Channel alum declares. "Instagram and Twitter and all the social platforms started off as fun. We were posting photos of our food, our shoes and just random things."
"I miss that being able to be a weirdo on social media," she quips. "It's become so incredibly curated that at this point I'm like, 'Y'all want that, that's fine.' But for the people that I'm going to actually connect to, that's just not going to work for me."
Bella Thorne recently became a creative partner on the platform Passes.
Whether it's making drinks, having an online coffee date, sending chocolates for Valentine's Day and more, Thorne truly lights up while talking about her platform on Passes.
"I've definitely got a personality and I don't really show that on social media — because again, I don't wanna be subjected to everybody else else's opinions. If you're actually signing on Passes, it's because you want to see somebody specifically, not because you're just a hater drinking haterade all day," she jokes. "Showing that really wacky side has made me feel a lot better, a lot more like myself."
While she used to be "so wacky and ridiculous" on Instagram and similar apps, Thorne says she "started feeling too judged."
"I think I got in my head about people's opinions of me and my wackiness. And I think that took away a lot of happiness from me," she adds.
In response to Thorne's partnership with the company, founder and CEO of Passes, Lucy Guo, gushed: "We are thrilled to welcome Bella Thorne to the Passes community. Bella embodies the future of digital connection — where authenticity, creativity, and entrepreneurship converge. Together, we are setting a new standard for the creator economy and proving that true success lies in connecting on our own terms."
