One of the draws of social media networks during their meteoric rise was the ability for fans of a given celebrity to directly contact them in an unprecedented way.
But as a consequence, fans now feel closer to their idols and more entitled to their time than ever. And since there are too many of us for any one person to tell apart, this can lead to a lot of awkward situations for these public figures.
Because while some celebrities are known for going above and beyond for their fans, it's easier to know about it than it used to be when one of them comes off badly in an encounter.
With these heightened expectations in place, it can be the subject of a surprisingly heated debate when a celebrity shows an even minor reaction to being bothered.
And it's because of this new climate that Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine now feels compelled to explain what may have otherwise seemed like a straightforward incident.