Entering adult life comes with various new opportunities, and even though change can be exciting, it does not come without responsibility. Mature decision making is an important skill for all adults to acquire and the privilege to vote in elections is no exception. As fresh 18-year-olds prepare to vote in elections, it can be difficult for them to educate themselves on which candidate is best suited for their position. Uncertain about what to do, it is not uncommon for young voters to turn to social media for information. In just a few clicks they will inevitably find a high profile influencer endorsing a particular candidate, and it’s as easy as that; so why not stop there?
In reality, regardless of followers, influencers do not really have any more knowledge on politics than the average person. Even so, with the rise of social media, it is easy for celebrities to share their views to their followers and influence their outlook on politics. While media can be used as a helpful resource to gather information, it is also filled with infinite assumptions and misinformation. Especially with young people, the opinions of celebrities are powerful and they can alter what their followers think. This is harmful in politics because no matter how much trust is put into these icons, what they are saying isn’t always fact checked and can be misleading. Along with anything else you see on the internet, not all of it is real, even if what influencers are saying seems credible.
Additionally, the power celebrity endorsements have can take away from what the candidates are actually saying. Influencers with a high following are able to use their voice to sway unsure people to vote one way or another. A common example in the 2024 election is Taylor Swift endorsing Kamala Harris. After Swift’s endorsement, over 400,000 people used her link to register to vote, according to USA Today. While this does not guarantee that everyone who registered will be voting for Harris in the election, it is plausible that Swift’s support is prominent enough to influence her fans to vote for the same candidate as her. Combining the power of an influencer’s voice with the lack of knowledge among young voters, at least some of those 400,000 people will probably vote for Harris just because Swift is telling them to. No further research involved, hardly even a second thought. Since people will vote for who their favorite celebrity endorses without any additional information, it undermines the values and plans of the actual candidates and the real reasons people should want to vote for them.
Voting is a difficult decision, but that is because of its importance. Every vote counts, so it should be a thought-out, individual process. Instead of following what your favorite celebrities are telling you, research their opinions and contemplate the why behind their viewpoint.
