By Avery Chappell
Imagine you are scrolling through your Instagram feed the day after the Sept. 10 presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Suddenly, you come across a video that has been edited to make one of the candidates’ remarks appear differently than what was originally intended. You go back to your Instagram homepage and see that Taylor Swift has endorsed presidential candidate Harris. With all of this misinformation and a celebrity endorsement, how will it affect the election?
Social media has drastically changed just within the last couple years. Even with efforts made by social media platforms, misinformation and doctoring of media often slip through the cracks and into the eyes of the public.
A popular song by Charli XCX, “365,” was edited and remixed with Kamala Harris’ remark, “You think you just fell out of a coconut tree? You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you.” This catchy tune became a popular TikTok and Instagram Reel.
A similar example of this for former President Trump, but not as positive, can be seen in countless social media sound bites. In the recent presidential debate, he said, “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in. They’re eating the cats. They’re eating … they’re eating the pets of the people that live there.” The audio clip has been used to mock the remark on TikTok and Instagram Reels. People have been making videos of their pets in costumes appearing like food, and saying that their pet is “hiding” from the people in Ohio.
Former President Trump used deep fakes to make him appear to be endorsed by various celebrities, including Taylor Swift. Swift later came out by posting on Instagram, “Recently I was made aware that AI of “me” falsely endorsing Donald Trump’s presidential run was posted to his site.” Trump supporters used AI to alter an image of Swift that originally said, “Taylor wants you to vote for Biden,” to say, “Taylor wants you to vote for Trump.” Swift officially endorsed Biden in 2020 through an interview with Variety Magazine, stating, “I will proudly vote for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in this year’s presidential election,” and “Under their leadership, I believe America has a chance to start the healing process it so desperately needs.”
Social media also poses a way for presidential candidates to reach their bases directly, without being blocked by the Federal Communications Commission. Candidates can say whatever they want and not be censored or regulated. This can be beneficial as they can reach their audience more often and less formally by posting short-form videos on TikTok or Instagram. They are not confined to TV, radio, and newspapers that are far less frequent and pick and choose what they show.
However, it has its downsides. This level of informality allows candidates to virtually say whatever they want with little fact checking. They can say whatever is necessary to gain support. The general population can edit the candidate to say whatever they want, leading to misinformation.
Celebrities are more and more vocal about their political opinions, and their endorsements may also play a crucial role in this year’s election. Taylor Swift endorsed Harris right after the presidential debate. A poll from YouGov found just 8% of voters said Swift’s endorsement would see them “somewhat” or “much more likely” to vote for Harris. Various other celebrities endorsed Harris as well, including Ariana Grande, John Legend, Cardi B., Billie Eilish, Finneas, and Charli XCX. On the other side, Kid Rock, Hulk Hogan, and Elon Musk endorsed Trump.
It will be interesting to see how celebrity culture and social media will affect this next election. For new voters, especially in this day and age, social media is going to be a big part of which candidate we choose to support. There needs to be a balance of reputable news sources that teens consume, as well as viewing the candidate as who they are through social media, getting a sense of their personality.
Unfortunately, social media will sway many young voters this year, and for many elections to come. Young people nowadays often don’t want to spend the time to watch or look through news cycles in the pursuit of truth. With decreasing attention spans, Tiktok and Instagram are often the most convenient source of news for teens, creating a less informed society.
~ Avery Chappell is a senior at Truckee High School. She is a staff reporter for The Truckee Times, and is a part of TNT News, a student-run broadcast channel. She is an aspiring set designer and is currently working as one for the Truckee High production, Almost, Maine.
