Rannaväli urges caution over creators’ political influence

Social media creators’ influence can vary widely, and their political posts do not necessarily change voters’ choices, content creator Maria Rannaväli said on ERR’s morning programme Terevisioon.

Rannaväli said social media can bring political issues to young people’s attention and is one way they get news about candidates and politics. She said this matters because news is not always easy to understand, adding that even she sometimes turns to the internet for help despite having studied journalism and following politics daily.

Tallinn University professor of participatory culture Katrin Tiidenberg said celebrity endorsements of named politicians generally activate people who already hold similar views rather than persuading potential voters. Such endorsements can also have the opposite effect, she said. In a polarised political system, celebrities may risk alienating fans whose families have different political views, potentially affecting whether those fans receive money from their parents to attend concerts.

Tiidenberg said research distinguishes between traditional celebrities, who tend to endorse particular candidates, and content creators and athletes, who more often discuss values, worldviews or specific issues. The distinction can become less clear when an election revolves around one major issue.

Rannaväli said the term “content creator” covers a broad range of people, including politicians who post humorous videos on TikTok. She urged people to consider how many creators actually have substantial influence, noting that it can depend on their experience and how long their followers have been with them.