25/11/2021
As of Nov. 12, 2021, after almost 14 years, Britney Spears is no longer held under her conservatorship in both the conservatorship of the person and of her estate. Meaning she is free to make personal and business decisions for herself for the first time since 2008.
Spears had almost no ability to make decisions for herself. She was not even able to hire her own lawyer. has it that her father and those in charge of her conservatorship paid her court-appointed attorney to keep her right where they wanted her. They (her father and what is seeming like the majority of her family) did not want to lose control over her or her money.
While she has tried to free herself from the conservatorship over the years, her father and others denied her access to a phone, the ability to drive, chose her own birth control or even spend outside of a small allowance they gave her. In addition, she was threatened with losing the little time she was allowed with her children if she did not comply with any and all demands. Many would consider this a prison sentence.
However, Spears, one of the biggest pop stars of our generation, has a strong fanbase who never stopped fighting for her. They sensed something was off with her conservatorship and with Spears herself and started the movement. Spears' loyal fans took to social media to garner support. They rallied the troops and brought national attention to Spears' case, putting pressure on the whole system that suppressed and let her down for well over a decade.
The movement brought attention to Spears' treatment and conservatorship law in general. It put pressure on the judge and everyone else involved with her case.
It worked. Finally, after months of back and forth, BRITNEY IS FREE!
This outcome proves the power of social media and the platform it indeed provides people. In crisis communication, social media can either be a blessing or a curse, and in the case of Britney Spears, it may have just given her her life back!
Tell us in the comments whether or not you believe social media is helpful or hurtful when it comes to celebrities and crisis communications.