With cancel culture an ever-present threat for social media influencers in our modern age, there is a big fear of saying the “wrong” thing. But with political tensions rising across the world and atrocities occurring right this second, should influencers use their platform for politics? It seems to be a double-edged sword, if influencers speak out publicly spreading awareness of certain topics, they face the threat of being cancelled which could destroy their careers, yet if they stay silent, they’re called out by fans and condemned for the opposite reason.
With political tensions currently rising, many influencers have been called out for failing to speak out about Palestine, with people seeing these atrocities as too severe to just simply ignore. However, many influencers, including TikTok stars, have lashed back saying that they are not well-educated enough on these serious topics to be using their platform to talk about them. This then poses the dilemma, should influencers have to talk about political or social issues? As it is not exactly in their job description, they have no responsibility to educate their fans on current affairs, which they most likely do not have enough knowledge about to warrant an effective response. The argument is that if these influencers and celebrities have such large platforms and social media presence, they should use them to spread awareness. However, if the only way you stay informed on certain topics is through your favourite TikTok star, then maybe it’s your responsibility to widen your resources better. Considering how easy it is to access information and resources on the internet, why should influencers be the first port of call in a political crisis?
That being said, it’s understandable that when influencers stay silent on certain issues they appear insensitive. Even if this is through something as simple as an Instagram story, this highlights their support or stance on current affairs. And although it may be easy for people to go ahead and research issues for themselves, there are many people who want to live in ignorant bliss. So, when celebrities have millions of followers on social media, that’s millions of people they can reach out to, and ultimately influence. And although we all hate to admit it, the stereotype of our generation being glued to our phones and addicted to scrolling does hold some truth. So, for influencers to encourage their fans, to get involved by donating, researching, and supporting, it can go a long way with a simple story shoutout. And that idea may be comical to older generations, but I will embarrassingly admit that I do see a lot of news on social media. Now of course it must all be taken with a pinch of salt, but it is also so accessible, with resources and information created specifically to make it easily digestible.
This debate is more nuanced than simply influencers posting a link, but ironically that can make a big difference. Whether or not they should be cancelled for this is another issue. The outcry lies in intention, as with political travesty surrounding our world, social media can be both an escape and an educational platform, so if social media stars are spamming selfies, it can appear as insensitive. Although there is no obligation to make statements and inform their audiences, maybe there is more of a moral upstanding they should fulfil.