You’re scrolling through Instagram and a video of an actor who you probably followed for their hilarious posts appears on your feed endorsing a president. You’re checking out your favorite band’s Twitter page and you see that they retweeted some information about the Supreme Court.
Whether we like it or not, we’re faced with information and opinions about politics wherever we go, especially on the internet. Over the past few years, influencers have been getting more involved in politics than ever before. Celebrity involvement in politics varies from simple reposts of photos that express support for a presidential candidate to wading into the central pool of politics itself. An example of the extreme end is Kanye West who, via Twitter, announced his presidential campaign and disrupted the already tense atmosphere of the upcoming general election.
While some people enjoy seeing their favorite celebrities share their political opinions, others are opposed to seeing people they follow for entertainment talk about politics. I’ve had many friends who loved a musician or actor who they later found out had “bad political takes”; this resulted in them feeling crushing disappointment for having supported the celebrity at all in the first place. The polarizing responses to celebrity involvement in politics aren’t shocking, as politics are a very divisive force.
“celebrities have a huge amount of power, specifically over younger generations, and that can be used in either a positive or negative way because they can choose to shed light on subjects that deserve attention or need support, or they can cause unnecessary harm,” says Molly D, an adult who will be voting in the upcoming election.
When asked about whether celebrities’ opinions have influenced her voting decisions, Molly responded, “I wouldn’t say they have. This is my first election I’m eligible to vote in and I’m passionate about it, so I would be voting whether or not a celebrity I admire talked about it.”
Teenagers are also very aware of the role celebrities play in politics. “celebrities getting involved in politics can be a double edged sword actually. On one hand, you can see the celebrities who bring attention to important topics that they are passionate about that their audience may not have been previously aware about. On the other, celebrities who join politics as a “trend” or for publicity should stay out of politics, as performative activism is not only futile but also harmful,” says Michelle Sun, a sophomore at San Mateo High School.
As wearisome as it may feel to see politics invade the entertainment corner of your life, it’s still very important for celebrities to get involved in politics. Especially for the upcoming elections, celebrities can help spread the word about registering to vote and spread more awareness about the political state of our country. However, it’s ultimately our responsibility to stay politically aware and form political opinions based on our own beliefs.