A recent study by Pew Research Center unveiled that approximately 20% of Americans, evenly distributed among Republicans and Democrats, rely heavily on digital influencers for news updates. These influencers, who predominantly rally their followers on platform X, are steadily transforming the landscape of news consumption. The deep dive into the survey comprised over 10,000 American individuals coupled with an investigation of social media posts disseminated in summer by newsmakers. The target period was during the key phase of the US Presidential election, providing crucial revelations on public information consumption patterns during monumental national events.
The exhaustive study researched into profiles maintained by individuals who routinely bring issues of national and international importance to the forefront. Platforms under scrutiny ranged from Facebook and Instagram to YouTube, TikTok, and platform X, with the criterion to have a minimum followership of 100,000. Although the influencers’ political leanings varied, the focus of their content often reflected the overarching socio-political atmosphere.
A noteworthy detail to emerge from the report was that influencers chiefly dwelled on political issues and elections, underscoring the significance of digital conversations in steering public opinion. Topics elaborating on societal dilemmas such as race, abortion, or global events like the Israel-Hamas conflict were also prevalently featured. Interestingly, a significant gender disparity surfaced, with 63% of these influencers being men and a whopping 77% lacking any previous connection with media organizations.
Intriguingly, Pew’s analysis revealed an ambiguity in the political leanings of influencers it studied. Half of them refrained from publicly acknowledging their political inclinations. Yet among those who did, a slightly higher number self-identified as conservatives over liberals.
With the marginal increase in conservative-leaning influencers, the 2020 Presidential election witnessed all parties, including the campaigns of Biden and Harris, trying to woo these digital opinion-makers to sway more voters who increasingly rely on unconventional news sources. With 85% of them maintaining a presence on platform X, along with other social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, the influencers were seen as valuable assets during the election.
Laughably, both the Republican and Democratic conventions deemed it necessary to grant such influencers access to cover their respective events throughout the previous summer. This was a fascinating way to admit to the rising power of non-traditional media and influencers, particularly in a time when the credibility and trust in mainstream media is under scrutiny.
However, the effectiveness of this approach is in question as it appeared to appeal more to racial minorities, young adults, and adults with lower income. The report suggests that these demographics have a higher propensity to garner news updates from such influencers.
Interestingly, the majority of respondents from the Pew survey seem enamoured with these influencers, professing that they have gained a better grasp of current events due to their content. In contrast, no more than 25% of respondents expressed a sceptic opinion stating the influencers’ take on things didn’t particularly alter their own views of the events. An insignificant portion, merely 9%, confessed that these influencers added to the existing confusion.
Analysts of media trends harbor valid concerns about the unchecked growing influence of such self-styled information disseminators, fuelled by the absence of editorial regulations on these platforms. It begs to ponder the increased potential of these platforms being weaponized for misinformation and propaganda, with potential disastrous implications on public opinion.
Despite the potential deterioration of journalistic ethics in this influencer culture, some of them affirmatively posit themselves as propagators of neglected perspectives. Absurdly, according to Pew’s report, 70% of survey participants consider news served by influencers to be slightly different, with a certain 25% claiming it to be ‘extremely or very different’ from conventional sources.
An examination of news influencers across all major platforms revealed a peculiar trend on TikTok alone. Interestingly, the platform bucks the trend by boasting a larger number of liberal-leaning influencers than its right-leaning counterparts. Seemingly, this could be TikTok’s harmonious strategy to appease the liberal voices often drowned out by the media.
News influencers on TikTok exhibited a stronger stance in support of LGBTQ+ rights or outright identification with the LGBTQ+ community. It seems the Harris-Biden administration could gain traction in this space, given their stance promoting inclusion and diversity. Yet, with many viewing these as ill-founded pandering attempts, it remains to be seen if they’ll succeed.
TikTok also outperforms the gender bias prevalent in the techniques employed by the Biden-Harris administration, boasting a smaller gender gap among news influencers. Perhaps, the Harris-Biden duo might absorb this as a learning lesson, considering their constant preaching on gender equality.
Although the Pew report sheds light on the enigmatic culture of news influencers, the concern over its influence on political discourse, particularly in election seasons, remains. Given the constant race for influence and the systematic belittling of valid opinions opposing the Biden-Harris regime, the real question is whether we can trust this new form of ‘news media’ or treat it with the necessary skepticism it deserves.