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Social media app Instagram will hide the total number of 'likes' which posts in Ireland receive in a trial to analyse whether users prefer a less competitive social media environment.

Users themselves will be able to see how many 'likes' their own posts get, but not those of other Instagram users' posts.

A spokesman for the app said; “We are testing this because we want followers to focus on the photos and videos shared, not how many likes they get."

They added; “We don’t want Instagram to feel like a competition. We hope to learn whether this change can help people focus less on likes and more on telling their story.”

The company began testing this new feature in Canada in May, emphasising that the focus should be on the photos and videos themselves rather then the numerical results.

The trial is now being extended to Irish users, with the move likely being welcomes by parents and childrens' welfare organisations due to the negative effects on self-esteem associated with Instagram.

Instagram undoubtedly encourages people to portray an idealised version of their lives among their peers, seeking popularity of friends and acquaintances.

A new Canadian study of 3,826 teenagers discovered that social media may be associated with adolescent depression, as young people compare themselves with filtered, unrealistic images of others.

Instagram users will still be shown the number of comments that other users' posts attracts, which could be used as a proxy for popularity.

Instagram has been seen as the least controversial major social media platform, seeing as Facebook's meddling with elections and 'fake news' has gotten them in trouble, as well as YouTube and Twitter's issues with hate speech.

Tara Hopkins, head of public policy, EMEA at Instagram said; “We want Instagram to be a place where people feel comfortable expressing themselves."

She added; “This includes helping people to focus on the photos and videos they share, not how many likes they get.

"We are now rolling the test out to more countries so we learn more from our global community and see how this can benefit people's experiences on Instagram.”

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Jameela Jamil has opened up about having an abortion when she was younger.

The Good Life actor took to social media to reveal that she underwent the procedure after falling pregnant at a young age. 

The 33-year-old said that the decision was the best one she ever made as she wasn't ready for it emotionally, psychologically or financially. 

Jameela Jamil

She wrote, ''I had an abortion when I was young, and it was the best decision I have ever made for me and, for the baby I didn’t want and wasn’t ready for emotionally, psychologically and financially. So many children will end up in foster homes.''

She continued, ''So many lives ruined. So very cruel.''

Jameela was speaking out against the new anti-abortion law, HB 481, in Georgia, America that will be coming into effect in 2020.

The law will ban abortion at ''any stage of pregnancy.''

Jameela called the law, ''upsetting, inhumane, and blatantly demonstrative of a hatred of women.''

She added, ''It is a disregard for our rights, bodies, mental health, and essentially a punishment for rape victims, forcing to carry the baby of their rapist. I’m so stunned that our world is not only behind, it’s moving backward. This hurts my heart in so many different ways, and in particular as a rape victim. I can’t imagine having fallen pregnant and being FORCED BY LAW to carry his baby to term, and see someone who looked like him every day, otherwise, I can get the death penalty?!''

Jameela Jamil

Her followers showered her with supportive comments, with one saying, ''I’ve been loudly screaming this since becoming pregnant myself – forcing a woman to carry a baby she does not want should be considered torture. I live in Canada. Abortion here is a non-issue. I’m angered for Georgia and the US.''

Others were not of the same mind, with one writing, ''Just say it was the best for you, I understand. Don't say that being aborted was the best for that baby. Your baby. It wasn't.''

This is the first time that the former model has spoken about her abortion but she pleaded with her followers to help in fighting the ban and she hopes that by talking about what she went through, it will help other women to feel less alone. 

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Gardaí are currently investigating an incident at the 3Arena during a Shawn Mendes concert involving a teenage girl.

Allegedly, the young woman was 'sexually assaulted' in the bathroom at the Canadian pop singer's sold-out gig in Dublin.

The teenager took to social media to write about her experience, and confirmed that she had explained the situation to the Gardaí.

She wrote: "On Saturday 13th of April I attended a Shawn Mendes concert in a well known Dublin venue near the docks."

"During a visit to the toilets I was sexually assaulted by an unknown person. The venue is aware of this and so are the guards." she continued.

"This is a warning to anybody attending any event from now on not to go to the toilet on your own," she said, shedding light on the lack of safety even at public events.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Shawn Mendes (@shawnmendes) on

"If this message and my experience can save one person from going through what I went through then my experience will not be totally negative."

A garda spokesman said: "Gardaí are investigating an alleged sexual assault of a female, that occurred at a venue on North Wall Quay, Dublin 1 on the April 13, 2019. Investigations are ongoing."

A spokesperson for the 3Arena has been contacted about the troubling allegation.

Feature image: Flickr/entertainment Dot IE

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Pink has had enough of social media trolls when it comes to her kids.

The singer, who regularly posts snaps of her two little ones, slammed the mean comments she received on a post of her young son.

The 39-year-old is mum to seven-year-old daughter Willow and two-year-old son Jameson.

She spoke on The Ellen Show about the ''rude, mean-spirited" comments she received after she posted a semi-nude image of her toddler son. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by P!NK (@pink) on

She said, ''Someone went as far as saying someone should call child services…some of the nastiest things. And I cried so hard after that. I won't share them anymore."

She went on to say that she understood people's concerns but that they could be kinder in their responses.

After posting a snap of her son and daughter and a pelican that had wandered into their home, it was the fact her son had taken his nappy off that accused issue among her followers.

Pink responded with, ''I deleted it because you’re all f*cking disgusting. And now I’m turning off my comments and shaking my head at the state of social media and keyboard warriors, and the negativity that you bring to other people’s lives.''

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by P!NK (@pink) on

She also received criticism after she posted a video of her son playing with cars and saying, "Ah, damn it."

She said, ''Some people were like: 'Nice language, I'm sure that came from you' and 'What kind of mother do you think you are?'''

She continued, ''And I understand people saying you need to be more careful because you are in the public eye and you should have thought of that – they're right. But there's a nice way to say that. There's a kind way to be online.''

She said the time was right to stop posting images of her daughter as she is getting older.

She said, ''It's probably time to pull her back from the world and let her live her best life."

We love Pink and her real posts about family life – but we applaud her choice to keep that part of her life private. 

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The professional dancers of Strictly Come Dancing are reportedly putting their foot down when it comes to what kind of celebrities will be  on the show.

After the success of vlogger and YouTube star Joe Sugg in the 2018 series, the pros are saying that his millions of followers online are an unfair advantage.

Joe might not have been the strongest dancer, but he did have eight million YouTube subscribers and more than five million Instagram and Twitter followers to help him get to the final.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Joe (@joe_sugg) on

So the pros have gone to the BBC producers to get social media stars banned from the lineup due to these numbers of people voting for them.

The producers had hoped that Joe would attract a younger audience but his landslide vote in his favour week-after-week left the pros unimpressed.

According to The Sun, ''Joe’s huge popularity caused some tension last year after he was being voted to stay in the show each week.''

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared ye BBC Strictl e(@bbcstrictly) on

They continued, ''He wasn’t the best dancer, so his place on the show was purely based on his fan base.''

They added, ''Now the pros are going to unite and ask for no social media personalities for a year, to give everyone a level playing field. The professionals talk regularly discuss on different points relating to the show and this has been a hot topic.”

It seems that shows like Strictly are like most reality shows – mostly about popularity, rather than talent. 

People vote for the dancer that is the most likeable, and not the one who is actually the best.

So is this banning of social media stars a good idea?

Or will the same thing happen as it does most years, the couple who has connected the most with the public taking the Gitterball?

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From gallivanting across the globe with her modelling work to stunning us all with the perfect Insta outfit picture, former Miss Universe Ireland Joanna Cooper is definitely one of our favourite people to follow. 

Showcasing behind the scenes details of her majorly successful modelling career, as well as nights on the town and travel excursions, the 25-year-old has almost 100,000 people following her career. 

We chatted to the model ahead of her appearance at last week's Nasty Gals Do Dublin event, to get the suss on her attitudes to social media, her modelling motivators and what the hell she uses to get her skin that stunning: 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by JO COOPS (@joannacoops) on

 Working in modelling, Joanna is exposed to the full force of fashion influence, but maintains her classic, comfortable but chic look. 

Describing her personal style as 'comfortable but cool,'  she often looks to social media for inspiration.

'I spend a lot of time on Pinterest looking at trends on there, and I get a lot of style inspiration off Instagram, the likes of Olivia Culpo (@oliviaculpo) – just people that show their everyday style, so then when you're travelling you can look to them for ideas. They always know how to make comfortable clothing look really chic.' 

'I wear a lot of black and a lot of leather so anything that looks effortless but cool,' she finished, described her own look – and one glance at her Instagram is evidence enough.  

The model is loving boiler suits as a trend this season, rocking a particularly edgy leather one-piece from Nasty Gal to the brand's Dublin event last week. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by JO COOPS (@joannacoops) on

When it comes to fashion, the Derry native definitely has a look that screams off-duty model. From statement jackets to  perfectly fitting jeans, teamed with crop tops and simple separates, it's clearly a recipe that works. However, there is a trend that Coops isn't particularly fond of: 

'I see everyone is wearing cycling shorts at the minute and I just cannot do it' she laughed. 'Not for me – they look fab on other people but I'm not feeling it.'

While fashion is clearly a strong suit for the gal, when we discovered we would be chatting to Joanna, one question immediately sprung to mind – her skincare routine. 

Joanna is definitely renowned for having one of the most striking faces in the modelling industry, and a flawless complexion to match. 

'I'm lucky that I don't have bad skin but its not amazing. What you see on instagram is a lot of products, and I think if you're going to invest in anything, invest in skincare because if you don't, then your makeup doesn't go on half as well and you're not addressing the problem underneath. I would invest in skincare and a good glowy highlight because then you can fake the glow.'

Stressing that she has never been sponsored by the brand, she revealed that her ultimate skincare hero product is the Alpha-H Liquid Gold – a glycolic resurfacing treatment toner. Joanna explains how using the toner every second night helps her to maintain her fresh faced glow. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by JO COOPS (@joannacoops) on

Despite her whopping 96k following on Instagram, Joanna does not consider herself a social media influencer. The key to striking the right balance between running her day to day, hectic modelling work alongside having an online presence is not forcing it. 

'I just like to keep it natural. If im on set or doing a job ill post about it and that seems to gain the most interest for me,' she detailed.

'I wouldn't really consider myself as an influencer. but people seem to be interested in my work so I just try and share as much if that as possible.'

While for many, the positives of putting yourself out there online are freebies, endorsements and encouraging comments, for Joanna, what she gets out of the online community she has crafted is the opportunity to chat with people she would not otherwise meet. 

'I like to get to interact with people that you wouldn't get to interact with in real life, and if anyone has any questions I try to answer them as much as I can,' she said.

And while being an influencer, or in Joanna's case, a model with a huge following, can bring many opportunities to the table, the pressures and negative aspects of social media can be vast. Luckily, Joanna has not had to deal with too much online animosity.

'If I want to post something, I will, but I wont be like "oh I have to post something on Insta" so maybe it's because I'm not on it all the time that I don't really see any negative stuff.'

'I feel like because it's not my main job, I have my main job and I just post about it, that I don't worry too much. But I completely understand (the pressure) when it's your bread and butter to keep up with posts but because its not for me, that's why I can be a bit more laid back about it.'

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by JO COOPS (@joannacoops) on

As a model, Joanna has worked worked with huge brands, and her social media documents the hectic work schedule she keeps up – to remain motivated, she recalls always having wanted to work as a model, and her gratitude to be able to do the job she loves pushes her on. 

'I like being busy. I've always wanted to do the job im doing, so now that i have it i just really appreciate it all the time and if something comes up id rather go and get it than sit back and later think 'oh I should have done that.' Its the fear of regretting not doing something.'

When it comes to the highly competitive modelling industry, Joanna remarks that there are two women in particular who she thinks are really changing the game. 

'I love all of the plus size models like Ashley Graham.'

Louise O'Reilly – I love her. She has changed the game and changed how women look at themselves and has given women so much confidence.'

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by JO COOPS (@joannacoops) on

'Speaking of modelling she remarks: 'I'll never get bored of it,'  but highlights how comparison syndrome can get her down like it would any other woman. 

'The comparison aspect – when your job is based on your image sometimes its hard. You feel like shit one day and you have to go and stand in front of the camera. Every girl has insecurities if they are comparing themselves against other people and it becomes more prevalent when you are a model – you just have to understand that everyone is their own person and embrace yourself.'

'And with social media it has gotten so much worse, particularly in younger girls comparing themselves.'

Finishing up our chat, she left us with a major mic drop moment: 'You need to realise that social media is curated and what's online is probably 10% of that person's real life.

'Remember that everyone had their own struggles.  You're just seeing curated images online – that's not real life.'

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Queen of social media, Chrissy Teigen, has raised a vitally valuable question about the differences of interviewing men and women.

The world has a pop culture fascination with Chrissy and her husband John Legend's relationship; they're both witty, socially aware and created ADORABLE children.

However, there's taking an interest in their family life, because they do share quite a lot with their following, but there's also taking questions way too far.

Chrissy revealed this week that John constantly gets asked, "How do you deal with your wife", and we are not happy. 

She tweeted a thread about the type of questions her husband gets asked in interviews, and it just seems like some MAD double standards to us; 

"I feel like a very common question when interviewing john is basically “how do you deal with your wife” and … I don’t love it." We wouldn't love it either, because she would never get asked how she deals with John.

She elaborated on the question and how she feels about it, and it's relatable as always. 

"It happens a lot. “Does she ask you if certain things are okay to say?” …it’s just very weird to me," she said. 

"No. He doesn’t. I don’t care. and he doesn’t care. End of question." she tweeted, continuing the thread. Shut that sh*t down, Chrissy. Asking how you "deal" with your wife implies that she's difficult to live with, and causes hassle in his career.

Chrissy has her own illustrious career, and yet never gets asked the same question about her husband.

"He usually does the standard “No…she knows what she’s doing…” but it’s not even that. It’s just that I am a different human than him? It is the most common question with him. Please stop."

Rightfully so, Chrissy said John usually shuts the question down fairly easily, but emphasised that she's actually a different person than him with her own life and goals, who isn't just tied to him while he goes out and earns.

She concluded;

"I’m not mad at anyone who has asked this. I get that we are very different. It happens a lot though and I’m just not very into it. You don’t ask me how I deal with watching MSNBC every night or what I do while he’s silent for a week."

Damn straight, Chrissy. They're basically implying that she's mouthy and loud and controls the voice in the household, and how does he COPE with that as a husband?

Teigen isn't afraid of using her social media platform and sharing her opinions on mum-shaming, body-shaming, IVF, postpartum depression and the political situation in America right now.

Translation:

By asking John Legend but not Teigen about his coping mechanisms when it comes to his partner, the basic tone of the question is that it must be a hardship to be married to an outspoken woman, we think.

*Eye roll* The man has an EGOT (An Emmy, several Grammys, an Oscar and a Tony) and THAT'S the most common question he gets asked? How does it feel being married to an opinionated and thoughtful lady?

We can think of far more complex things to ask the hugely successful musician, to be honest, that don't involve the notion of a woman using her voice for empowerment. They're separate humans with separate careers, people.

Feature image: Instagram/@johnandchrissy

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In case anyone has yet to hear the latest serving of scalding hot Kardashian tea, Jordyn Woods will be giving her first interview since the cheating scandal involving Khloe Kardashian's ex boyfriend Tristan Thompson.

She has maintained a silence since rumours began of her apparent hook up with the father of Khloe's baby, True, but now the model has sat down with family friend Jada Pinkett Smith to record an episode of her Red Table Talk Podcast. 

The interview will recount her story of the night in question, and is set to be quite the wild ride;

It was recorded yesterday, and a source has told TMZ that Jada's goal with the podcast was to "to create a healing between Jordyn and Khloe." We'll see if that one works out for ya Jada…

As a close friend of the Kardashian family and an extra on their reality show, the model has signed Non-Disclosure Agreements to maintain her relationship with the famous family, so she can't speak her mind completely.

The episode will air on the Red Table Talk Facebook page on Friday, but now Khloe has begun liking posts on Twitter surrounding the news:

The first one reads; "I really don’t understand the point of this. there’s no way she can justify what she did." 

A fan maintains that there's nothing Jordyn can say to repair the bond between herself and Khloe, who is her best friend Kylie Jenner's older sister.

Judging by that Twitter like, Khloe is still pretty mad and forgiveness isn't exactly on her mind at the moment.

The second tweet defends the Kardashians and claims that they have never smeared Jordyn's name publicly, despite the rumours.

 "She slept with Khloé's baby daddy, and they havent even publicly said ONE bad thing about her, just unfollowed her, so how is that the Kardashians fault? Jordyn smeared her OWN name!" says one social media fan.

Khloe liked the post, showing her agreement with the fact that neither herself nor her family members have actually said Jordyn's name at all since the scandal has emerged, only unfollowed her on social media.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by HEIR JORDYN (@jordynwoods) on

This was a reply to another Twitter statement referencing Jordyn Woods' friendship with the Smith family;

"Her and her family are REAL cool with the Smith’s so I really want them to paint her in a good light. The Kardashian’s are obviously smearing her name for ratings, but Jordyn deserves a win!"

Fans are concerned that Jada Pinkett Smith will paint Jordyn in a better light than she supposedly deserves, but we'll have to wait and see when the episode airs this Friday.

We suspect Jada will try to have a balanced discussion, as she always does on her talk show. We're getting the popcorn ready in preparation, it's going to be JUICY viewing.

Feature image: Instagram/@khloekardashian

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It's official: Ariana Grande has overtaken Selena Gomez as the world's most followed woman on Instagram. The figures are SO tight though; Ari now has 146,337,497 and Selena is slightly behind with  146,289,115.

Unfortunately for Thank U Next fans, Cristiano Ronaldo is still the most followed person, with 155 million followers compared to the Sweetener singer's 146 million.

However, considering everything Ms Grande has achieved this year, we believe she can gain the nine million needed in no time.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande) on

Billboard are claiming that Ariana gained a huge 13 million followers on the social media site over the last four months, coinciding with the release of her record breaking albums Sweetener and Thank U, Next.

Weirdly, it also comes at the same time as her break-up from former fiancé Pete Davidson in October. The pair made the headlines after the split, coming only five months after their engagements and six months after they began dating.

It was never going to end well, was it? Ari also had a turbulent time with the overdose and subsequent death of her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande) on

More recently, she won the Best Pop Album Grammy award, and became the first solo artist to hold the top three Billboard Hot 100 singles (7 Rings, Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored and Thank U, Next), and hold the number one album spot at the same time.

Her online wars with the likes of Grammy producers who insulted her (how dare they??) and Piers Morgan has also drawn attention to her accounts.

Meanwhile, singer and actress Selena Gomez has lost followers after taking a four-month break from social media in September after entering a treatment facility for her mental health.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) on

She required medical help with her anxiety and depression, saying in a video at the time;

"As much as I am grateful for the voice that social media gives each of us, I am equally grateful to be able to step back and live my life present to the moment I have been given."

"Kindness and encouragement only for a bit. Just remember: negative comments can hurt anybody’s feelings," she said. 

Come on lads, lets dethrone Cristiano Ronaldo. Ari's Instagram game is far stronger…Just sayin'

Feature image: Instagram/@arianagrande/@selenagomez

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NOW TV has revealed the Irish public's faves for this Sunday's Academy Awards, and some of them just might surprise you.

While many are speculating that Green Book or Bohemian Rhapsody will take the gong, Ireland's top choice for the Best Picture Award is A Star Is Born, featuring Lady Gaga and directed by and starring Bradley Cooper.

Black Panther is also a dark horse in the category, being the first superhero movie to ever be nominated for the coveted prize.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Sucre The Pug (@sucretheblackpug) on

In terms of Irish talent, 44 percent of the nation's participants believe that Saoirse Ronan was robbed of a Best Actress Oscar nod (which would be her FOURTH nomination) for Mary, Queen of Scots.

The starred in the film alongside Margot Robbie as Queen Elizabeth, and many believe her amazing performance deserved the nomination. Her previous category nods include roles in Brooklyn, Lady Bird and Atonement.

20 percent of survery participants said that they will be following the results and outcome on social media, and we suspect many of us will be gaggin' to see the gorgeous couture being donned.

Timothée Chalamet is another reason to watch…Just saying…

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Mary Queen of Scots (@maryqueenmovie) on

Unsurprisingly, Ireland's choice for Oscar host is the white wine-sipping legend that is Graham Norton. The acerbic wit would be pure gas at the Hollywood event, if his hilarious Eurovision content is anything to go by.

The public voted 64 percent in his favour as host. NOW TV also found that 47 percent of Irish people will be watching the 91st Academy Awards on social media, a highlights reel or the news. 

25 percent of Irish people will wait until the next morning to get the Oscars gossip, rather than the 20 percent who plan to keep updated as the ceremony happens.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Instagui (@instaguicom) on

For any Oscars enthusiasts, watching the Academy Awards is easier than ever. NOW TV also calculated Ireland's favourite or most memorable Oscar moments, and they're still scandalous as ever.

The La La Land Best Picture error in 2017 topped the poll as the most memorable Oscar moment, with more than one-third of respondents recalling the horrendous moment that the film was called out as Best Film by MISTAKE, stealing Moonlight's thunder.

Ellen DeGeneres' star-studded selfie was next in line, taking 22 percent of the Irish public's vote.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by BradleyCooper Fan (@bradleycooperfan_) on

In terms of red carpet fashion highlights, 26 percent of participants chose Cher's 1986 bare stomach look with a feathered headpiece as the biggest fashion fail. Bjork's 2001 swan dress with egg laying motion was also a high contender in the faux pas category.

Sacha Baron Cohen appearing as Admiral General Aladeen took 21 percent of the fashion fail vote, and Gwyneth Paltrow’s braless goth look from 2002 had 19 percent of the vote.

Kevin Hart stepped down as Academy Awards host in January after homophobic tweets were revealed and he failed to apologise this year for them, leaving the 2019 Oscars hostless. It's a shame Graham Norton wasn't asked…

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by (@lilisedesignerresale) on

Ellen DeGeneres topped the polls as the most favourable Oscar's host, taking 29 percent of the participants' favourite vote, and Whoopi Goldberg came second with 20 percent. Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin had 14 percent of the vote as a comedic duo.

31 percent of Irish people want A Star Is Born to sweep the ceremony, and hope for Gaga to win Best Actress (39 percent) and Bradley Cooper as Best Actor (32 percent). They do have outrageously great chemistry… and he should have gotten the Best Director nod too. I stand by that,

NOW TV have given us the goss, and you can watch the ceremony through their website here.

Feature image: @hausofcrybaby/Instagram

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Any eagle-eyed fans of Kylie Jenner and Ariana Grande MAY have noticed that the gals lost millions of Instagram followers overnight.

Jenner and Grande are two of the most followed people on the social media site, with Ari dropping from 145 million to 142, and Kylie dropping from 127 million to 124 million.

It probably isn't a major deal for them, but definitely is problematic for smaller influencers and YouTube creators. So what happened with Instagram, we ask?

Instagram is currently investigating an issue that is causing some of the biggest accounts to lose millions of followers overnight, and took to Twitter to elaborate:

“We’re aware of an issue that is causing a change in account follower numbers for some people right now. We’re working to resolve this as quickly as possible.”

James Charles and Zach Clayton, some of the larger names on the site, both tweeted about the issue, with MUA Charles saying; "Why did I just lose over half a million followers, Instagram. What you doing, sis?”

An original suggestion from Fast Company claimed that Instagram was taking action "to remove millions of accounts the company believed to be inauthentic." Translation: BOTS. 

A lot of companies undergo random sweeps of their user bases to get rid of inactive accounts or spam, with Insta announcing in November that it was hoping to remove more fake accounts on the platform/

“We will begin removing inauthentic likes, follows and comments from accounts that use third-party apps to boost their popularity. We’ve built machine learning tools to help identify accounts that use these services and remove the inauthentic activity.”

They later updated their status to say that the issue would be revolved by 9am today, Valentine's Day. The team "are hard at work to get things back to normal". Hmmm, suspish.

The site began removing locked accounts from Twitter since last July, so maybe they just cleared out the bots and the uproar over follower counts has them regretting it? 

Kensington Palace lost a massive 150,000 followers overnight, but the page recovered them today. It could be beneficial for influencers to have an awareness of what their 'real' follower count is, rather than just fake bots.

Some social media users got clever by suggesting you could unfollow anyone your heart desires for this one day and blame it on Instagram, which we have to say is pure genius.

The uproar is uniquely fascinating in pointing out the dependency of many on the website and their follower count. 

If anyone has any cool conspiracy theories on the matter, we'd love to hear them. Instagram are blaming it on a bug, but is it more than that? We do love a good mystery…

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New research suggests that social media is becoming a "common problem" in Irish marriages, according to The Independent.

Over 3,000 clients took part in a survey in Maynooth over two years which discovered that both men and women find social media and technology "behaviour" causes difficulties in marriages and relationships.

Accord Catholic Marriage Care Service maintains that constant access to technology and phones has taken away the "cooling off" period following an argument.

The Accord has commented that it will alter it's service to accommodate the issue following couples' feedback.

Bishop Denis Nulty, president of Accord and Bishop of Kildare & Leighlin, said: "Social media is a huge issue. Pope Francis spoke about this at Croke Park and we need to be digitally conscious."

He elaborated on why the results are vital for the organisation; "We're dictated by gadgets so being clued-in is important."

On the removal of the "cooling-off" period he said: "When you send a text, a tweet or a Whatsapp message, there's no way of pulling it back, and it causes huge heartache for everyone involved."

"As we shape our marriage preparation courses in the future, we'll be taking this into consideration," Bishop Nulty mused.

"We have a low divorce rate in Ireland, and I would like to keep it low. I have no doubt people in Ireland still take marriage very seriously."

16,048 individuals attended the Accord's marriage preparation courses across the nation in 2018, which was down almost 800 from 2017

Accord counsellors separately provided 24,180 counselling sessions to individuals and couples during 2018 throughout the whole island of Ireland, which was less than that of 2017.

The bishop attributes some of the drop in figures to couples attending different private counselling services.

Other "problem areas" included unresolved arguments, inappropriate behaviour during arguments and dissatisfaction with their sexual relationship.

75 per cent of clients who saw data reviewed claim that their relationship improved following counselling.

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