Love Island: ITV to bring back social media ban

Love Island will be reintroducing its social media ban for the upcoming summer series.

ITV have told BBC Newsbeat that contestants won’t be able to have friends and family post on their behalf while they’re in the villa.

The ban was first introduced in 2023 as part of new duty of care protocols.

But it was lifted during Love Island All Stars – a spin-off where former islanders returned looking for a second chance at love.

An ITV spokesperson said the move was part of its “continued commitment to duty of care”.

“Islanders participating in the forthcoming eleventh series of Love Island will again be asked to pause their social media accounts.”

ITV added the aim was to help “shield contestants and their families from the adverse impacts of social media”.

Psychologist Jo Hemmings, who has worked behind the scenes on a variety of reality TV shows, previously told Newsbeat when the ban was introduced that Love Island has a “gold standard” when it comes to duty of care.

“I think the protocols, particularly the one about pausing the social media accounts, will certainly help the families or people managing those accounts,” she said.

Since 2019 – and following the deaths of previous contestants Mike Thalassitis and Sophie Gradon – bosses have offered islanders at least eight therapy sessions after their time on the show.