They helped free Britney. Now they want justice.

Rolling Stone quoted Shira Gabriel in a story about the group behind the hashtag #FreeBritney movement, which advocated for pop star Britney Spears to be released from the conservatorship long controlled by her father. The group is now pushing to change the system so that it doesn’t happen to anyone else. While #FreeBritney had largely been a tool for good, there is a downside. This behavior isn’t surprising, Gabriel says, adding that this type of reaction from fans can sometimes occur when people build a strong “parasocial bond” with a celebrity like Spears. “These relationships feel as real as the relationships we have in our lives, and because they feel that way, we treat them that way,” Gabriel says.