What do you think are the positive and the negative aspects of social media and stan culture in general?
I think the good things about it are that it allows us to connect with like-minded people and it can be quite informative and entertaining. The cons are probably people who aren’t nice to others because they feel brave behind a screen but if you don’t allow yourself to care about the opinion of a random person online it’s not that bad.

How do you think social media and stan culture affects your idol(s)?
reputation by Taylor Swift says it all. If they don’t look at the negative things being said about them or they simply don’t care it shouldn’t affect them much. Also being aware of the fact that people online can be mean because they’re unhappy with themselves and don’t have much else going on for them should help too. Taylor herself once said: “You’re not the opinion of someone who doesn’t know you” and I hope she still lives by that. She uses Tumblr to interact with fans who are quite nice there which, I hope, affects her positively. She's also turned off the option for people to comment on her Instagram posts so I imagine that makes it an enjoyable platform for her as well. She once said she avoids Twitter because people are too negative there.

Stan culture has been called ‘toxic’ and ‘problematic’ many times. Do you agree and why?
I think that’s just the immature and unhappy people. I hope there's not too many of them on Twitter but sometimes a few pop up. I previously said that sometimes the general opinion on something is the opposite of their shared values which I think is the problematic part. Cancel culture can be toxic as it doesn't give people the chance to apologise and grow without demonising them first.

Ali also mentioned 'cancel culture,' which is another one of the more negative aspects of Stan Twitter. To 'cancel' someone on Twitter is a way of boycotting them and their work. It mostly happens when a celebrity does something controversial, or something controversial from their past resurfaced. This quickly becomes a kind of bandwagon hate train. When a celebrity is cancelled, a hashtag 'boycotting' them is usually on top of Twitter's worldwide trends — for example the #TaylorSwiftIsOverParty or #ArianaGrandeIsOverParty. The issue with cancel culture is that it doesn't leave room for argument or growth, even after the celebrity has apologized or tried to change. Furthermore, even when a celebrity does something extremely negative, cancel culture rarely ever does anything more than hate on a celebrity online. People often forget about the incident, and it does not positively change anything in the end. Read a CNN article about this here.

How would you say stan culture has impacted our generation – mentally and socially?
People online are exposed to different types of people. It allows our generation to be more accepting and understanding towards minorities. I think that’s the most important thing. Mentally, it depends on the people they interact with - there can be people who aren’t as accepting as others and that can have a negative impact on one’s mental health. Overall, I think we as a society are going in the right direction.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start engaging in Stan Twitter? How do you stay mentally healthy in a space like that?
The amount of followers and friends you have doesn’t determine your worth in any way. Quality is more important than quantity. If you feel like taking time off, do it and don’t be scared of losing followers, you can always gain more when you come back. Don’t forget to engage with people outside the Internet. Twitter is supposed to be fun so if you’re not having fun anymore leave or find a different friend group/fanbase.

Nevertheless, Stan Twitter also has many positive aspects. For people like Ali, it provided a platform to express their thoughts and connect with people with similar interests. It is often entertaining and funny, providing mental breaks for people from their everyday lives. Ali also mentioned how it exposed people to others that come from different backgrounds and belief systems. The viral nature of Twitter can also have a positive side, as with the rise of the #MeToo Movement.