Influencers are becoming increasingly central to Australian election campaigns, particularly as Millennials and Gen Z outnumber Baby Boomers. However, this shift raises concerns about the ethics of using social media platforms for political messages. The Australian Electoral Commission is scrutinizing this trend, emphasizing the need for transparency in influencer-driven content, as highlighted by controversies involving politicians like Allegra Spender. Despite the ethical dilemmas, influencers like Abbie Chatfield argue that the moral panic surrounding their involvement is unfounded, as political engagement is crucial in today's uncertain times.
There's this like moral panic about influencers in politics as well, this whole idea influencers can't be trusted with something as serious and as high brow as politics.
The Australian Electoral Commission has asked that influencer content promoting political messages is accompanied with authorisations, revealing the growing discomfort around this emerging form of political communication.
In this first election where Millennials and Gen Z voters will outnumber Baby Boomers, the involvement of influencers in political campaigns is an inevitable, politically necessary change.
There are blurred lines regarding influencer content and political endorsements, as seen with Independent MP Allegra Spender commissioning influencer content that lacked clear paid advertisement indications.
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