Celebrity

Worried Fans Flood Britney Spears' Social Media Amid Framing Britney Spears

FX's documentary details Spears' legal battles and turbulent personal life.

Britney Spears performing. Photo via Getty Images
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The New York Times Presents’ latest documentary, Framing Britney, offers an in-depth look at Britney Spears’ turbulent career and court conservatorship. For the last 12 years and counting, her father, Jamie Spears, has maintained legal control over the singer’s personal and financial life. Meanwhile, the #FreeBritney movement and conspiracy theories of her sending distress signals through her social media continue. As the new FX release sparks conversations regarding Spears' personal life and career, it's natural to wonder what she thinks of everything. However, the star has remained silent.

Framing Britney includes interviews with those who have special insight into her life, including a family friend and a lawyer who works on the singer’s conservatorship. Viewers notably don’t get to hear from Spears herself – but not for lack of trying from The New York Times. The doc states they attempted to reach out to Spears directly for her participation in the project, but that "it's unclear if she received the requests."

And the latest post on her Instagram — her go-to outlet for communicating with fans — looks to be a stock photo of tea. In the Feb. 5 caption, she detailed her plans to "exercise more … volunteer … eat well …." At that time, she made no mention of the documentary, which would release just hours later.

Her silence on the documentary and conservatorship controversy likely does not come as a surprise to the singer’s faithful fans who believe her online presence is a façade orchestrated by someone else. Though her social media manager recently denied anyone controls her Instagram account, many followers commented on her Instagram today, asking Spears if she plans to watch the doc or if someone is manipulating her. Others simply asked if she’s OK.

In a Feb. 5 NYT article, Liz Day, a senior editor of the documentary, wrote, “Ms. Spears almost never speaks publicly about the case, save for a 2008 MTV documentary in which she cried and compared her circumstances to a jail sentence with no end. It is nearly impossible to interview her freely.”

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Though Spears doesn't address these concerns directly, she does seem to be aware of them. A September court filing, in which Spears sought to prevent the sealing of conservatorship details, featured a knowing phrase. "The world is watching," it said, an apparent nod to those who express their worry for Spears across the entertainment landscape.