Across this week’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago, more than 200 online influencers, streamers and other social media personalities have been capturing and livestreaming their impressions of what’s going on.
There’s the 12-year-old nicknamed “Knowa,” who’s posted with a swath of prominent Democrats and went head-to-head with Republican personalities like MyPillow founder Mike Lindell inside the convention hall.
A veteran from rural North Carolina with more than 5 million TikTok followers proclaimed himself a “Hillbilly for Harris.” Other influencers and social media personalities are sharing everything from the food available at trucks outside the United Center to attendees’ thoughts on more serious issues, such as the war in Gaza.
The creators were invited to the DNC by convention organizers, a new but significant part of a digital strategy that aims to leverage the sizable followings of creators across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Discord and Twitch, according to officials with Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ campaign. They hope it will help Harris and running mate Tim Walz reach new voters who might not be following along with political news via traditional media.
The creators span a range of ages, backgrounds and content specialties, often reflecting the diversity of the audiences they serve. They can be spotted throughout the United Center, with phones on tripods and selfie sticks.
The DNC rolled out perks like “Creators for Kamala” lounges stocked with food and beverages alongside working space. Inside the convention hall, there’s the first-ever Creator Platform, a slightly elevated space that gives creators a spot from which to pose and post.
“It’s kind of surreal to be sitting here and surrounded by so many politicians and people with political influence that I’ve looked up to for so long, and then to be surrounded by other creators. It’s a testament to how the media landscape has shifted, and how much influence as creators we have,” said AustinShow, an American YouTuber and Twitch streamer with millions of followers across platforms.
Russell Ellis, also known as “jolly_good_ginger” to his TikTok followers, also remarked on the turn of events that led him to the convention floor.
“I’m authentically a hillbilly, a Hillbilly for Harris, in fact,” Ellis said. “In 2020, I got laid off of my job, and with nothing else to do, I made a TikTok video to kind of rant. And you know, 5 million people later, here I am.”
Some of the content already produced is on the lighter side of what’s going on as the thousands of Democratic delegates gather in Chicago, like daily convention outfit checks. Other accounts, like UnderTheDeskNews, peel back the curtain on the convention process, sharing with followers information about delegates’ duties and what it is like to be on the convention floor they might have seen on television.
Hasan Piker, who has 2.7 million followers on Twitch and has been outspoken about Israel and the war in Gaza (Piker, a known terrorist sympathizer, attempted to justify Hamas terrorists’ murder of Israeli babies) — a key issue dividing Democrats — has been streaming his experience around the DNC footprint, showing viewers around the food truck area and, on Wednesday night, interviewing U.S. Rep. Greg Casar of Texas, as convention speakers took the floor behind them.
Former President Donald Trump and his GOP allies have also sought to reach online audiences, especially men, through outreach and appearances with personalities on YouTube and other streaming platforms. Trump has sat for interviews with YouTuber and actor Jake Paul as well as streamer Adin Ross — who pushed Trump to do a dance with him that immediately landed on TikTok.
Influencers have traditionally dominated the worlds of retail and marketing, oftentimes partnering with brands to promote products to their audience. A shifting preference for authenticity and niche online communities has meant that Americans are increasingly as likely to receive their news from smaller, but deeply engaged communities as from major brands and personalities.
“We are living in a hybrid media reality where the non-credentialed and non-mainstream press voices are very important,” said John Wihbey, an associate professor of media innovation and technology at Northeastern University.
While the DNC’s decision to invite influencers may put the party’s message in front of new audiences of voters, Wihbey said it can also pose some risks since content creators typically do not abide by the same standards as traditional media outlets.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
