Sydney Sweeney has reportedly lost more than 200,000 Instagram followers after facing criticism over a promotional campaign that some viewers accused of sexualizing sports.
The 29-year-old actress sparked a wave of online backlash after appearing in an advertisement for betting company Novig, in which she used various pieces of sports equipment to cover herself.
Sweeney shared the promotional video on Instagram last Wednesday, where it has since received around 1.1 million likes.
Her follower count initially increased by approximately 50,000 following the post. However, the numbers soon began to decline. By Sunday, she had reportedly lost 136,848 followers.
Another 68,000 followers had unfollowed her by Monday, bringing the total reported decline to more than 200,000.
The campaign has generated a wider debate online over the way women are portrayed in sports-related advertising, with reactions ranging from criticism of the concept to support for Sweeney’s decision to take part in the campaign.
