Black Mirror: Bandersnatch's Will Poulter Quits Twitter After Intense Criticism

It's a tale as old as Twitter. Another celebrity has reported a break from social media right after becoming the aspiration of negative comments from "fans." This time, it's Will Poulter, who was most recently seen in Netflix's Black Mirror: Bandersnatch.


Poulter plays Colin Ritman in the interactive film about a programmer who is adapting a choose-your-own-adventure novel into a video game, set in the 1980s. Since the movie dropped last Friday (December 28), the actor has been taunted online about his appearance.


Poulter took to Twitter (where else?) To release a statement about his choice to "take a step back" from the platform. "I'd like to mention a heartfelt thank you to everybody who has watched Bandersnatch and for their responses whichever @they could be) to the material we created," he started. "I accept all criticisms and it's been a delight to learn that so several of you enjoyed what several people worked very hard to produce!"


He went on to note that we all need to find a "balance" with our social media usage because the platforms fluctuate between being positive and negative spaces. "It's a balance I have struggled with for a while right now and in the interest of my mental health I feel the time has come to change my relationship with social media."


Poulter continued by expressing his gratitude for the helpful messages he's obtained — possibly aimed at those who have asked for a Colin romance loop — and shouted out a number of businesses he plans to continue to support on social media, including one anti-bullying campaign.


"I hope that this shift to decrease my personalized expression and increase the concentrate on issues that matter will result in a higher end outcome for each person he wrote before concluding with a nod to his movie. "This isn't the end. Imagine it an option path."


Let's all use this as a reminder that we, also, can determine to use social media for good or for bad, and selecting either alternative can support decide the path we're on. You know, assuming free will exists.


Read Poulter's full statement below.