The Bachelor Australia is about to kick off and new details of the strict social media contract have been leaked.
WATCH: Brooke Blurton asks Abbie Chatfield out
While social media is great for getting to know The Bachelor contestants, as well as assembling clues as to who will be the last one to receive a rose, it’s also the breeding ground of many unwarranted spoilers and targeted harassment.
This year, Channel Ten has reportedly implemented a last-minute amendment to the Bachie contract when it comes to the contestants’ social medias.
According to So Dramatic!’s Meghan Pustetto, a production insider has revealed that the contestants had to sign over their social media passwords for the duration of the show and, while the show airs, their posts have to be vetted for approval.
Comments will also be turned off and their DMs will only be open to people they follow.
Now, ex-Bachelor and Bachelorette stars Abbie Chatfield and Georgia Love have spoken out about the social media ban.
Abbie, who was a target of incessant online harrassment during her time on The Bachelor, was all for the new contract.
“This is genuinely the best thing for the contestants,” wrote Abbie on a Pedestrian Instagram post about the social media ban. “It stops them seeing the trolling completely. I wish we had this in my season.”
Georgia Love was quick to reply to Abbie’s sentiment, explaining that her reality TV experience was a little different.
“We weren’t allowed any social media at all in my season (and prior) and I staunchly believe they should have kept it that way,” Georgia penned.
The journalist continued: “It’s not simply a TV show, it’s people’s lives and feelings and they’ve already agreed for it all to be on television, edited and portrayed at the production company’s discretion.
“A TV show is a TV show, using the contestants’ public profile pages to tease episodes is wrong, in my view.”
Abbie replied to Georgia, agreeing that perhaps there should be an overall ban.
WATCH: A big fight sees one contestant sent home in first look at The Bachelor (Article continues after video)
There is a silver lining to the contestants having to give up their Instagram autonomy for a prolonged period of time.
Not only did they receive a reported $5,000 from Channel Ten to sign the amendment, which they will have to forfeit if they breach the contract, they also automatically get their account verified.
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