The “Jelena” era might be nearly a decade in the rearview mirror, but the internet proved this week that it is nowhere near ready to let go of one of pop culture’s most enduring sagas. In a move that immediately ignited social media firestorms and sent “Justin Bieber” trending across X and TikTok, the 31-year-old superstar allegedly interacted with a piece of his past that most fans assumed was buried deep in his digital archives.
The “Peaches” singer found himself at the center of a viral controversy over the weekend after eagle-eyed followers noticed what appeared to be recent activity from his verified Instagram account on a photo featuring his famous ex, Selena Gomez.
The image in question isn’t just any photo; it is a grainy, intimate snapshot of Bieber and Gomez sharing a kiss, originally posted by Justin in March 2016 with the short, evocative caption, “Feels.” At the time of its original posting, the photo became the most-liked image on Instagram, serving as a high-water mark for a relationship that defined a generation of celebrity obsession.
However, the current “frenzy” stems from a specific interaction with a new comment left under that decade-old post. Instagram user @auro_lv2l recently commented, “Vivan los novioss,” which translates from Spanish to “Long live the newlyweds” or “Long live the couple.” According to screenshots and screen recordings that have since circulated globally, Bieber’s verified account allegedly “liked” this specific comment.
While the “like” appeared to be removed shortly after the interaction went viral, the digital footprint was enough to trigger a massive wave of speculation regarding the singer’s current state of mind and his respect for his wife, Hailey Bieber.
The timing of the alleged interaction has only added fuel to the fire. Just days prior to the incident, Hailey Bieber shared a nostalgic carousel of photos from 2016 on her own Instagram, including a shot of her and Justin kissing at sunset, captioned, “You just had to be there.” Justin’s alleged “like” on a Selena-centric post from the same year felt like a direct, if accidental, counter-narrative. “His wife is God’s strongest soldier,” one popular comment on X read, garnering thousands of likes.
Others were more critical, questioning why the singer still maintains a public gallery of his past relationship. “Why he still got the picture up anyways,” one user questioned, echoing a sentiment shared by many who believe the presence of such intimate throwbacks is “messy” given his current status as a husband and father.
As of now, representatives for Justin Bieber have not responded to requests for comment, and the “like” remains unverified by independent tech auditors, though the sheer volume of screen-captured evidence has made it the primary topic of conversation among pop enthusiasts this week.
A Decade of “Jelena” and the Weight of Digital History
To understand why a single double-tap can cause a global meltdown, one must look at the sprawling, complicated history between Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez. The pair first sparked romance rumors in 2010 when they were spotted sharing pancakes at an IHOP, eventually making their red carpet debut at the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscar Party.
For the next seven years, the two were locked in a cycle of public breakups and high-profile reconciliations that played out across award show stages, song lyrics, and social media feeds. This period, roughly 2010 to 2018, saw the rise of the “Stan” culture that still dictates much of the discourse today. Even after Justin married Hailey Bieber (née Baldwin) in a 2018 courthouse ceremony, a vocal contingent of the “Jelena” fanbase has remained convinced that the story isn’t truly over.
This persistent hope, or “obsession,” as some critics call it, is why every move made by any of the three parties is analyzed with forensic intensity.
The 2016 “Feels” post was a pivotal moment in that history. It was posted during one of the couple’s many “off” periods, and at the time, Selena herself famously commented “Perfect” on the photo. For Justin to allegedly revisit that specific post in 2026, a year where he is celebrating nearly eight years of marriage and the joys of new fatherhood, strikes a nerve with those who track his career.
The singer has been open in the past about the difficulties of his youth and the “heavy” nature of his early relationships. In his 2020 documentary series Seasons, and through various tracks on his album Changes, Bieber alluded to the work he had to do to become a “healthy” partner for Hailey. He has frequently credited his faith and his wife for providing the stability he lacked during the peak of his global fame. However, the internet’s long memory makes it difficult for celebrities to truly “move on” in the eyes of the public.
Historical context also reveals that this is not the first time social media activity has caused friction. In 2019, Justin famously responded to a fan who claimed he only married Hailey to “get back” at Selena. In a lengthy Instagram comment, he wrote, “I absolutely loved and love Selena she will always hold a place in my heart, but I am head over heels in love with my wife and she is absolutely the BEST THING that has ever happened to me period.”
He urged fans to stop sending “hateful messages” to Hailey, calling the narrative “hurtful.” Despite these clear boundaries set by the artist himself, the “Jelena” topic keeps resurfacing because the digital artifacts, the photos, the old comments, and the music videos remain accessible. For a digital reader in 2026, the past is never truly past; it is just a scroll away.
This latest incident serves as a reminder that for celebrities of Bieber’s stature, the “delete” button is often the only way to truly silence a ghost, and as many fans pointed out this weekend, Justin has chosen to leave those digital ghosts exactly where they are.
