Creators Paid In Smear Campaign Against Kamala Harris

Issue #271 | September 10, 2024

On Sept. 8, Semafor broke some wild news, sharing that a mysterious “network,” which operated with Zoom calls and Zelle payments, paid influencers to bolster “sexual smears” of Vice President Kamala Harris. So far, there’s no evidence clarifying what the mystery network is and who is funding it.

This smear campaign took place in July, when Democrats were vying for Harris’ presidential nomination. Along with being instructed to pedal more typical Republican talking points, the influencers were explicitly told to promote “lurid sexual jibes” aimed at Harris.

Anonymous sources told Semafor that none of the influencers in the scheme shared their identities, and instead, they joined video calls anonymously with their cameras off. The only person who was publicly identified was the one and only Long Island queen George Santos, who allegedly turned his camera on to urge the group not to pursue the “sexual allegations” and comments against Harris (you know it’s bad when even George Santos draws the line).

Creators are an inextricable part of the political landscape right now — whether it’s commentators being paid by Russian operatives to make pro-Trump content (read more about that here), entrepreneurial teens making bank with TikTok Live Harris v. Trump debates (read more about that here), or Harris inviting a bunch of creators to a meme-y New York Fashion Week event featuring a “grab them by the…” claw machine and a couch with a “property of JD Vance” sign (see here).

As we gear up for the first presidential debate between Harris and Trump tonight, creators are the pulse of what little remains of American civic engagement. These days, a meme reaches more voters than NBC’s Nightly News.

– Grace Stanley, Deputy Editor

PERSONALITIES

Brandon Farris Has Figured Out YouTube

With over a decade on the platform, YouTuber Brandon Farris has learned to stick to what works.

By Steven Asarch, Passionfruit Contributor

→ READ THE FULL STORY

IN THE BIZ

Instagram added more features to personalize DMs and profiles, including customizable photos, birthday effects, and chat themes.
For better or for worse (and let’s face it — it’s probably for worse), the infamous Fyre Festival is returning.
Twitch updated its Ads Manager to simplify ad settings and provide more insights for streamers.
YouTube is limiting recommendations for videos that idealize certain body types or fitness levels.

PLATFORMS

YouTube Announces Deepfake Prevention Tools For Creators

YouTube is targeting the growing threat of AI impersonation on the platform.

By Charlotte Colombo, Passionfruit Contributor

READ THE FULL STORY →

PLATFORMS

‘We’re setting the groundwork for a more expansive range of content on the platform.’

By Charlotte Colombo, Passionfruit Contributor

READ THE FULL STORY →

JOB BOARD

Instacart is looking for a Senior Marketing Manager, Social Media.
Figma is looking for a Content Strategist, Operations.
The University of Utah is looking for a Video Editor.
Acorns is looking for a Content Creator.

YOUTUBE MADE ME DO IT

This week, it’s the season 2 finale of the Reactorverse Podcast with a special interview! Host Eric Rodriguez, aka Nerd Chronic, sits down with Passionfruit Editorial Director Drew Grant to reflect on the show’s journey and the valuable insights gained from interviewing others in the reaction space.

Be sure to subscribe to the Passionfruit YouTube channel so you don’t miss an episode! If you’d prefer to listen in audio form, we also have a podcast feed.