Creators help consumers make sense of the news

People want (and expect) creators to speak about politics. Over half (52%) of US consumers welcomed creators posting political content during last year’s election, per the Billion Dollar Boy survey. Many, however, drew a line between paid and unpaid political content. While that tracks with how people say they feel about sponsored versus organic creator content overall, it also suggests that there may be a boundary for creators between informing their audience and campaigning for a cause.

News creators help consumers understand current events. With information available at our fingertips, people are increasingly turning to sources who help them make sense of it all. News influencers and creators have stepped in to fill that role, offering real-time commentary on events and issues using natural language and in a more engaging format. That’s resonating with consumers on both sides of the aisle.

Consumers also look to creators to confirm their beliefs. Unlike traditional journalists, independent creators and influencers can—and do—provide partisan points of view. Consumers also tend to be more likely to follow creators and influencers whose political views they agree with, according to August 2024 data from IZEA. That reflects the ongoing polarization in our media consumption habits.

Creators generally aren’t expected to fact-check news or political information. Only 36.9% of creators worldwide fact-checked source information before sharing content with their audiences, per September 2024 data from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). While that can be problematic, creators aren’t alone in this: Fact-checking has also gone out of fashion among social executives, while “misinformation” has become a buzzword that encompasses everything from outright lies to viewpoints people disagree with.

Read the full report, The Rise of Political and News Creators.