Amid heightened political tensions in the U.S., many influencers are no longer just posting outfits, daily routines, or brand deals. Some content creators have taken clear positions on timely national issues like ICE and the current presidential administration, addressing political, social, and economic topics that resonate strongly with Gen Z. For many of their followers, these posts about current issues feel affirming — and even necessary. For others, though, they can be disappointing or even deal-breaking. The same can be said for influencers who choose to post nothing political at all. The question is: What are their Gen Z followers doing about it?
For years, debates about whether influencers should speak about political issues have been ongoing. But the conversation feels especially urgent now. As political divisions across the U.S. deepen, many fans are no longer simply hoping their favorite creators will speak up — they’re demanding it. Across TikTok videos and comment sections, users are celebrating influencers who are vocally aligned with their own views, calling out those who aren’t, and throwing shade at the ones who have attempted to remain neutral. Others, on the other hand, don’t want to hear from influencers about any of this — like, at all.
As social media continues to blur the line between entertainment and responsibility, expectations around who should speak up, and how, are more complicated than ever. To understand how Gen Z is actually navigating these moments, Her Campus asked Gen Zers to share their honest thoughts on influencers, political expression, and whether agreeing to disagree — or declining to weigh in at all — feels acceptable right now.
When an influencer’s views don’t align
We’ve all experienced a random post on our feeds that feels out of place, which is typically easy to scroll right past or click the “not interested.” But what happens when it comes from a creator you follow — probably even like — and you’re faced with the reality that this creator actually has views you don’t align with? Do you take to the unfollow and block buttons, or simply scroll past and let it be?
For Gracie*, 20, it all depends on the type of content that’s being shared, and how harmful she thinks the views are. “If someone holds extreme views such as white supremacy, supporting ICE, or being homophobic and transphobic to a harmful degree, I would unfollow them and block them,” Gracie tells Her Campus.
Onyi*, 26, tells Her Campus that she has unfollowed and blocked influencers within the past few months based on the way certain posts made her feel. Because of this, she’s learned to use more discretion when choosing who to follow. “I’m far more intentional about who I support and more critical of selective activism that feels safe rather than principled,” she says.
However, not everyone thinks influencers have to speak up. Jenny*, 22, says that she doesn’t feel the need to unfollow creators who have opposing beliefs. “I think it is important to have people in your life with different views,” Jenny says. “It’s a narrow-minded ploy for confirmation bias to block out anyone who thinks differently than yourself.”
When Influencers stay silent on important issues
Then, there’s a group of creators who are questioned for a different action: Their neutrality or avoidance of posting about political issues. Many Gen Zers think influencers with platforms that can reach large audiences have a responsibility to stand up for something. “I believe people should use their platforms to speak up for others who can’t,” Gracie says. But while she might disapprove of creators staying silent, she might not take action against them. “I wouldn’t necessarily unfollow them.”
Jac*, 21, believes there’s a privilege in having a high-engagement profile, and it should be used accordingly. “I won’t follow them,” she says of influencers who stay silent on politics. “If they choose not to discuss a topic, then I view that as a privilege and that they do not care about the situation at hand.”
Jayona*, 20, feels similarly. “You either stand for something or fall for anything — that’s how I see it,” she says. “I’m affected everyday just by waking up being a Black woman. Choosing not to take a stance is still a choice, and it often protects comfort over justice.”
Onyi echoes this. “Silence, especially when paired with privilege, is still a choice — and one that says a lot.”
Sometimes, the clues are there
While some Gen Zers are taking silence as a sign to unfollow, others try to do more digging to see if they can verify an influencer’s stance one way or another.
“As a Nigerian woman and a Black woman in America, I don’t have the luxury of being politically disengaged,” Onyi says. “I’m intentional about checking where influencers stand because their beliefs often reflect whether they think I, my family, and my community deserve basic human rights.”
But if an influencer has been silent about their stance, how are users looking into their beliefs? For many, it’s some good old-fashioned social media sleuthing. Jac says if she thinks an influencer doesn’t align with her political beliefs, she looks into “their old posts, who they follow, and their family.” Similarly, Jayona says that she’d “check their reposts [and] all around digital footprint.”
But not everyone feels the need to dig so deep. Jenny thinks investigating an influencer’s reposts or content about their suspected beliefs is unnecessary. “If someone doesn’t want to talk politics, their beliefs are not my business.”
Izzy*, 22, feels similarly. “Most influencers are not on the internet to advocate for politics, so we shouldn’t expect them to,” she says. However, she also keeps herself aware of any changes to the status quo of an influencer’s behavior. “If they do something I disagree with, they will probably lose me as an audience member.”
Why Does Unfollowing Matter?
All in all, it seems that everyone’s line for what constitutes an unfollow is different — but mostly everyone *has* a line. That’s because following an influencer doesn’t just mean you’re going to see their content — in many cases, it means you’re supporting them financially (because these days, influencers make money off their content, and the more followers they have, the more money they can bring in).
“Influencers shape culture and normalize certain values, whether they acknowledge it or not,” Onyi says. “Making sure the people I support don’t actively uphold or excuse harm is a form of self-protection and accountability.”
*Last names have been omitted for privacy.