Winter Love Island: Massive change in the show format, here’s what we know

The best part about ITV2's dating reality show – apart from the hot bods, romance and drama – is the social media updates of the contestants. The show bosses have decided to change the social media norms for the contestants this year.

Dormant accounts

Earlier friends and family of Love Island contestants used to post on their behalf on their social media accounts. From building their followers to urging people to vote for them, their social media accounts took care of everything for them.

However, in a massive shake-up this year, ITV has decided to keep the contestant’s social media accounts dormant this time. Meaning, no friends or family are allowed to run their accounts during their stint in the villa. The new rules package states:

As part of extended measures to protect both the Islanders and their families from the adverse effects of social media, participants will be asked to pause handles and accounts on their social media platforms for the duration of their time on the show.

Islanders’ accounts will remain dormant while they are in the Villa so that nothing is published on their behalf.

This comes after former contestants have been subject to trolls and vile comments. Sometimes even the people handling their accounts got into occasional spats with the trollers, reported The Sun. Contestants have also had to many times remove their social media accounts due to abusive comments and trolls.

More cautious this time around

ITV bosses have also decided to educate this series’ contestants about negative patterns and behaviours like gaslighting. The new rules package reads:

Participants will be offered resource links to read up on, in advance of meeting their fellow Islanders, to help them identify negative behaviours in relationships and understand the behaviour patterns associated with controlling and coercive behaviour.

Paige Thorne and Jacques O’Neill’s romance in Love Island 2022 was difficult for the viewers to watch.

Sources Used

The Sun: Love Island announces huge shake up of show rules ahead of 2023 series