R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe Has Abandoned Instagram In Protest

Singer/songwriter, activist, and R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe is saying goodbye to Instagram. 

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In a final farewell on his account featuring a couple of videos of cicadas chirping, Stipe said, "Question everything, nothing is real anymore except the obvious. Even question that. Thanks for looking!! Its been fun and silly and sometimes smart. X Michael"

See Stipe's final post and countless fan comments below.

View this post on Instagram

That’s it(Crickets) —les cigalles or katydids. South of France and Greece. So, no dis to anyone here. I maintain that we deserve better platforms for expression and communion, as public and private spaces where we can gather and talk to each other (without feeling or sensing the obvious). I know that someone not too far away is a breath away from presenting this next level humanist platform—and I cannot wait to rejoin the conversation. Until then, vote and be heard. Question everything, nothing is real anymore except the obvious. Even question that. Thanks for looking!! Its been fun and silly and sometimes smart. X Michael

A post shared by @ michaelstipe on Sep 11, 2018 at 11:41pm PDT

Fans wanting to keep in touch should reach out via @REMhq on Twitter as well as the band's Facebook page. 

Stipe's feelings on social media were recently shared in a BBC interview in which he says we need to examine how social media "is changing the choices that we make and the debates that we have," as well as his desire to not be "tracked or followed."