How Beckham rift shed light on the growing craze for 'forensic fandom'

Followers who hunt for clues about celebrities' lives via social media posts led the way on Brooklyn story

- Rachael Healy

An alleged rift between David and Victoria Beckham's eldest son Brooklyn and the rest of the family has trained a spotlight on the concept of "forensic fandom".

Stories of a family feud, which were fuelled by social media sleuths finding clues in the celebrity clan's online presence, emerged when fans spotted unusual activity on Instagram, and their findings were then reported in the showbusiness press.