Social media influencers and digital creators have had an increasingly significant role over the past several political cycles. At the 1996 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the internet was just emerging as a fresh political and media tool. The few political bloggers in attendance that year were still being referred to as “micro-journalists.” In 2014, President Obama marketed his “Obamacare” proposal, in part, by hosting a “YouTube Summit” at the White House, with a guest list that included “React” masterminds The Fine Bros., the creators of “Epic Rap Battles of History,” and Iman Crosson (aka Alphacat), who made YouTube’s favorite Obama impression.
10 years ago, a White House YouTube summit was still a quirky idea, an offbeat way to try and reach out to the kids. But as more and more Americans give up on linear TV and newspapers, they’re getting news directly from streaming platforms and social media networks. This year, many members of Gen Z are gearing up to vote for their first president. So their favorite internet platforms have naturally shifted from fun experiments to potentially boost engagement and into a vital channel for political outreach. A 2023 study from Pew Research Center suggests that ½ of all Americans now get some of their news from social media, while a third of adults under 30 get news from TikTok.
Today, the White House not only routinely opens its doors to digital creators, but the Democratic Party has started clearing space at its convention for influencer attendees. For the first time in history, over 200 creators received credentials to attend this year’s Democratic National Convention. A few are potentially taking spots that would have previously gone to conventional reporters and journalists. According to Wired, some members of the press, such as CNN anchor Dana Bash, were a bit rankled by the presence of so many of their social media counterparts, which apparently led to long lines at security and related issues (like not enough outlets for everyone’s laptops).
Wired suggests that, in many cases, the amenities offered to high-profile influencers outstripped the offerings for professional journalists.
These influencers aren’t just hugging the walls and taking in the scene, either. Five digital creators were actually inspired to speak at the convention. Deja Fox, Nabela Noor, Carlos Eduardo Espina, Olivia Julianna, and John Russell – who collectively have more than 24 million followers on their social media accounts – will make keynote presentations of their own this week, from the same podium at which former President Obama addressed the nation on Tuesday evening.
While these presentations will likely remain on message, the content produced by individual creators at the DNC in 2024 will likely boast a wide diversity of tones and perspectives. Influencer marketing expert Eric Dahan told TVNewser he expects a lot of lifestyle and non-political content coming out of the DNC, along with a heady share of “misinformation.” Livestreamer Hasan Piker took the opportunity of attending the convention to interview independent investigative journalist Amy Goodman of “Democracy Now!” Other creators are receiving the VIP treatment, like invites to an exclusive yacht party where they mingled with members of the Kamala Harris campaign and potential future Second Lady, Gwen Walz.
It’s a race for views and fresh eyeballs above all else, an effort primarily focused on reaching voters where they are. As long as the message that gets to them is roughly pro-Democratic Party, everything else falls by the wayside. Social media creators can speak authentically to viewers on Instagram, TikTok, Twitch, and other platforms that may not be a natural fit for the sitting Vice President or the Governor of Minnesota.
There’s an authenticity that comes from seeing a creator experience a political convention from their own perspective, rather than simply watching a speech or hearing a second-hand report about what was said. As Instagram notable Jeremy Jacobowitz (whose usual beat is food, not politics) told CNN, younger people trust their favorite influencers far more than the mainstream press.
Inviting a room full of digital creators who are turning their experiences into (hopefully) compelling and high-energy content has also helped the Democrats to establish a joyful and celebratory vibe, which they’re hoping compares favorably to the more sober and reflective Republican National Convention last month. If you’re going to invite Lil Jon to perform and have a DJ spinning records during roll call, you might as well get some young people in the room to shoot lots of video.
Still, working with digital creators who don’t have professional press affiliations, and who for the most part are not professional journalists, can be a double-edged sword. As YouTube’s ad team has long been aware, creators are by their very nature unpredictable and impossible to control. That’s what gives them an air of authenticity and reliability. Their fans trust them more than TV news anchors because they know they’ll be honest and forthright and transparent about their experiences; that’s part of the deal.
But that also means they lack the message discipline that a reliable Democratic Party volunteer or an ideologically defined newspaper columnist might have. They’re presumably going to speak their minds, even if it doesn’t entirely line up with the party’s messaging.
Perhaps the biggest and most compelling story about influencers at the DNC isn’t even happening inside the United Center. It’s outside, on the streets of Chicago, where pro-Palestinian demonstrators have been clashing with police. The ongoing narrative about Israel’s war in Gaza, and America’s (and President Joe Biden’s) role in arming and funding the violence, does not link up neatly with the Democrats’ message this week about hope and joy and the promise of a better tomorrow.
And while many influencers on the American political left are working with the Democratic Party, many others are outside on the streets focused on the demonstrations, or making videos about their feelings of betrayal by the Biden administration. (This divide is nothing new. Back in February, when President Biden first launched an official White House account on TikTok, it was immediately flooded with negative comments about the violence in Gaza.)
Beyond just presenting an authentic and transparent-seeming version of yourself and your life, much of the job of a professional creator is also seeking attention. (In fact, you might say building an audience on the internet is PURELY about attention, whether positive or negative.) This makes creators an important ally for a political party. But again, one that isn’t always fully reliable or aligned with the overall goals of the organization. Right-wing pundit Matt Walsh snuck his way into the DNC undercover, in a “White Guys for Kamala” disguise, to promote his content and just generally make his presence known. There’s no way to just open up your conventional and your world to one kind of creator. Once the floodgates are open, that’s it. You’re part of internet culture now.
This struggle for balance between attention and control isn’t limited to Democrats. Republicans invited actress and model Amber Rose, a former Democrat, to speak on the first night of their convention in Milwaukee, hoping to mirror Democratic efforts to reach younger voters on the bubble. But her previous rape culture activism and her outspoken support for legal abortion and gay rights made her a divisive figure among the Republican mainstream.
For political parties in 2024, working with creators in addition to conventional journalists isn’t just a good idea, it’s absolutely essential. And because creators, unlike journalists, often don’t have editors or fact-checkers, they can be in some ways more pliable. They’re less plugged into ongoing narratives, they’re likely more willing to explore outside-the-box ideas and approaches. And yes, in some cases, they’re just going to be less informed than their more experienced counterparts, who have been reporting about politics in some cases for years or even decades. All of this benefits a savvy campaign manager and their staff.
But in many cases, corralling influencers and speaking to their incredibly varied interests and audiences and approaches is likely an even greater challenge than navigating an old-school press gaggle.
