By Emily Aheto
Social media has had a deep impact on politics, in many ways changing it from a popularity contest to one of entrenching one’s influence.
The emergence of the “influencer politician” is already reshaping how the political process operates, particularly among young voters who are increasingly drawn to personalities over policies.
The media is no longer just a platform to communicate one’s policies. Politicians now operate like influencers, sharing relatable and entertaining content to boost engagement with their social media pages instead of simply educating voters.
A new era in political engagement
Take, for example, Muda’s Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman. He participates in football podcasts, shares marathon highlights, and serves as a brand ambassador for skincare companies — activities not traditionally associated with political careers.
In contrast, the White House’s X account carries dystopian content such as videos and posters of migrants being deported, with captions such as “This Goes Hard”.
Then there are politicians who find the middle ground.
US congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, popularly known as AOC, uses Instagram Live to explain policies and bills to her followers.
On the other hand, New York’s Zohran Mamdani enlists the help of local influencers to promote his mayoral candidacy while maintaining policy focused content on his personal channels.
For instance, he has sustained visibility among younger voters by appearing on TikTok shows such as “Gaydar” and “Subway Takes”, since last year, contributing to his win in the primary recently.
But by and large, relatable content has been pushed to the forefront of politicians’ social media profile, relegating policy discussions to secondary importance.
Malaysian youth weigh in
To understand how social media is reshaping political perception, FMT spoke to several Malaysian university students in their 20s.
Their responses revealed cautious engagement, growing distrust of traditional news sources, and a preference to view politicians through their online persona over policy position.
Some of these students agreed that they had been influenced by a politician’s social media presence and even shared the posts they found convincing. One however noted that sharing posts aligned with one’s personal beliefs reflected a common bias.
A 25-year-old who said he was “fortunate” that the posts had been “proven to be true” also acknowledged that sharing posts aligned with personal beliefs represented a “bias” in many people.
There too are those who are more sceptical, saying that while they trusted politicians “based on their behaviour”, fact-checking social media posts was more important than blindly trusting them.
Several respondents voiced concerns about politicians primarily promoting themselves online rather than demonstrating genuine commitment to public well-being, although some viewed this as a combination of both motives.
Opportunities and challenges
The shift towards political engagement through social media can be a double-edged sword.
On the positive side, it can lead to increased engagement among young voters, the significance of which was evident when the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 years.
Digital platforms enable politicians to interact with younger voters and relate to them on a different level. Unfortunately, focusing on social media rather than policies also lead to an oversimplification of complex issues.
The lack of information on policy also means that posts with shock value or emotional content get promoted, potentially spreading misinformation.
Understanding the algorithm of influence
Much of what voters learn about their policymakers’ beliefs often stem from edits and parody content made by their followers rather than official policy documents and media statements.
Algorithms amplify such emotionally engaging material and bury informative posts behind the wall of entertainment and aesthetics.
As a result, politics is no longer just about policies. It is about personalities and performance.
Consequently, politicians begin to behave like influencers. Their platforms boost viral content over valuable information, leading to a rapid change in the younger generation’s understanding of democracy.
This also means that voters may miss the true positions of each of the bevy of politicians vying for their approval.
Algorithms may set the stage, but it is the user who ultimately decides what content is shared widely.
The younger generation must dig deep into their critical thinking abilities and media literacy to help themselves navigate today’s political landscape.
As timelines are flooded with curated content, we must ask ourselves: Are we voting for a true leader or a performer?
Emily Aheto is an undergraduate at City, St George’s, University of London, and an intern at FMT.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.