TrueStar Staff 
With one of the most important elections only a days away, voters who aren’t certain of a candidate will have their eyes toward the media. Social media is one of the fastest ways to get information, but also the source for a lot of disinformation. Celebrities/influencers have played one of the most important roles in this election. Any statement they make, whether truthful or a factless opinion, will make headlines.
Celebrities/influencers have the right to share their options because everyone is granted free speech under the constitution. Celebrities are free to endorse any political candidate, but they should do it properly. Singer/songwriter Taylor Swift has 283 million followers on Instagram. She made a post on September 10th, the night of the debate between VP Harris and former President Donald Trump. Swift endorsed Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz. In the caption she stated, “I was heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate @timwalz, who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades.” Swift is one of the celebrities who endorsed a candidate the proper way. She gave her opinion, and it was backed with the truth. According to NBC, “Minnesota was the first state to pass a law protecting abortion rights after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision in 2022.” Walz is the governor of Minnesota, and under his leadership abortion is protected. Swift shared who she’s voting for and didn’t spread misinformation through the process.
Swift was an example of a celebrity who endorsed a candidate and didn’t spew out disinformation into the media. On the other hand, there are various celebrities/influencers who don’t understand how to differentiate opinion from fact. A prime example would be model and television personality Amber Rose. Amber has over 24.4 million followers on Instagram, so she falls under the influencer realm. On July 16th, she posted a video clip on IG of her at the Republican Convention. A clip of the video says, “I realized Donald Trump and his supporters don’t care if you’re black, white, gay, or straight. It’s all love.” Her statement causes a lot of misinformation to be spread about Trump. In fact, it’s also dangerous considering the amount of followers she has. Some people are more likely to listen to their favorite influencers/celebrities, than go on the candidate’s website and view their policies. Amber’s statement was her own “realization” but misinformation reached 24.1 million Instagram users. The majority of her followers may agree with her statement, but those aren’t the only people it’s getting to. People who haven’t voted, stuck in between the two candidates, and people who aren’t sure if they even want to vote are observing her misinformation. Rose’s factless opinion can sway people into a false narrative of Trump.
According to the American Civil Liberties Union, “Trump has promised that, if re-elected, his administration will rescind federal policies that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, and will assert that federal civil laws don’t cover anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination.” In addition, he called for execution for the Central Park 5 and participated in discriminatory housing practices. These facts don’t sound like someone who has “all love.”
Taking time to research candidates is important, for your favorite celebrities/influencers may not provide facts. How do you all feel about celebrities/influencers sharing their political perspectives? Select an emoji and let us know.
By True Star Staff
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