Taylor Lorenz (@taylorlorenz) • Threads, Say more

I wrote about this. If political influencers want to be taken seriously as journalists, (as they constantly claim they do) they need to start adhering to basic journalistic ethics guidelines around disclosure. usermag.co/p/the…

rebzsays

california governor race

05/30/26

I was invited to a series of conversations with CA governor candidates and creators.

One well-known candidate invited us to a Signal group chat, which I thought would be for policy or campaign updates.

Instead I’m seeing VERY popular creators working directly with the campaign on content while telling their audiences the information they share is neutral.

I’m not saying they’re being paid, but they are not disclosing how much access and influence shape their content. Take that as you will.

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taylorlorenz

05/27/26

Fundamentally, what the campaigns are buying is a new form of highly effective political advertising where influencers will promote a candidate or their messaging to parasocial audiences in an organic-seeming, often hyper-personal format that does not read to the average viewer as an ad. That is the “work” that these creators are being paid for, whether they want to acknowledge it or not. In any just political system that type of advertising should be heavily regulated.

usermag.co

No, Creators Don't Deserve to Be Paid for This

taylorlorenz

05/27/26

I spoke to Larry Lessig and other ethics experts on money in politics about Steyer's influencer strategy and wrote about how these paid schemes that many campaigns/political content creators are engaged in are deeply unethical.

usermag.co

No, Creators Don't Deserve to Be Paid for This

taylorlorenz

05/27/26

I've been traveling abroad for the past 3 weeks and just catching up, but the Steyer stuff has been appalling and I wrote about it here

usermag.co

No, Creators Don't Deserve to Be Paid for This