Although recent "Idol" stars, like Poppe, told Insider they were encouraged to use social media to promote the show, early contestants said they couldn't use their platforms for the three months of the show.
"We couldn't handle our social media," said season-six runner-up Blake Lewis.
At the time, social media mostly consisted of MySpace, YouTube, and Facebook, but Lewis said it was still quite the blow as he was trying to make a name for himself online.
"I'm like, 'How am I supposed to have a fan base after this?' It's insane," Lewis said.
Another season-six finalist, Melinda Doolittle, said the social-media blackout meant "starting from the ground up" when the show ended.
"Now I think they figured out, let's actually push social media, let's tag these kids. Let's get them in it," Doolittle told Insider.
Representatives for "American Idol" did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.