The role of political influencers in the contemporary political arena

Baltezarević, Radoslav and Baltezarević, Ivana (2024) The role of political influencers in the contemporary political arena. In: 4. Bilsel International Çatalhöyük Scientific Researches Congress. BILSEL Publishing, Konya, pp. 948-955. ISBN 978-625-95275-5-0

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Abstract

Political candidates greatly benefit from their capacity to interact personally with communities. Because so many ideas, thoughts, and opinions are circulating on social media, these platforms are persuasive and frequently seek to shift or impact opinions on political views. Influencers, also known as content creators, who were previously mainly used to raise brand awareness, have been playing an increasing role in politically influencing other users in the digital environment (their followers) in recent years. They represent powerful individuals in politics who support candidates, propose policies, change public opinion, and bring about ideological change. Prominent political influencers have the ability to sway voters’ opinion on prominent political figures, which is the primary reason why political parties are increasingly using them in their campaigns. However, despite their immense power, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, TokTok, and other platforms do not have clear and strict guidelines requiring the disclosure of sponsored content that includes political figures or sentiments. By deceiving voters into thinking that party promotional material reflects sincere, ideologically compatible opinions, this opacity promotes a black market in political campaigns and impairs the electorate's ability to make educated decisions. As more public figures and politicians join the influencer economy, they are likely to encounter both financial opportunities and challenges that will impact the development of digital marketing and public life in the future.

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