Although movie stars and singers are not politicians who can directly control domestic and international affairs, it cannot be denied that celebrities have motivations that help people put pressure on decision-makers. But just because they have the authority to do so, does that necessarily mean they are responsible?
We asked three students their thoughts on the merging of celebrity and social activist roles.
Celebrities should stand up
The rise of social media has made the world more connected and accessible than ever before. Young people around the world are participating in social activities to raise awareness about important issues such as the genocide in Palestine, climate change, women’s reproductive rights, and the rights of indigenous peoples.
We believe that celebrities have a responsibility to speak out on socio-political issues, just like the rest of us. Most of us are not sociologists or political scientists, but we still take the initiative to learn and spread awareness. Social action is more focused on encouraging people to educate themselves than on who benefits from educating others.
As the saying goes, “With great power comes great responsibility.” In my opinion, neutrality is complacency and remaining silent when action is needed is emotionless and cruel.
Celebrities who spoke out about the issue urged others to take action. Following Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris in the US presidential debate on September 10, the number of users on US voter registration website vote.org surged 585 percent compared to the previous eight days. Vote.gov also received approximately 406,000 visitors within 24 hours through a link shared by Taylor Swift on Instagram. Additionally, actress and activist Jane Fonda raised nearly $2 million and helped elect 42 climate change advocates.
When there is an urgent need to speak out, remaining silent is not just a missed opportunity, it is a choice. I believe that true humanity is not about fame or popularity, but about how you conduct yourself when in a position of power or when assistance is provided. Influential celebrities have a responsibility to use their platforms to raise political awareness. In moments of seemingly never-ending injustice and crisis, silence speaks volumes, but action can change everything.
Zaneb Asad is a fourth year student studying English at UTM.
Celebrities should not get involved in politics
Participating in sociopolitical activities is important for everyone, but there are right and wrong places to do so, and the power to exert political influence does not necessarily justify its use. That’s not true. I believe it is unethical for celebrities to use their platforms to pressure the public about politics. They have so much power and so little accountability.
Celebrities have platforms to influence the public, but those platforms are not created for political discussion. They gained influence not through political education or involvement, but through their talent as entertainers. Therefore, I am wondering whether they are entitled to air their personal political interests through relatively unregulated public platforms such as Instagram and X.
Apart from that, the relationship between celebrities and their fans can be rooted in the fans’ blind admiration and uncritical loyalty. In my opinion, using their platform to influence fans politically would be an abuse of that relationship. Given the global interconnectedness of digital media, it is easy for celebrities in particular to spread misinformation, whether intentional or not, that can lead to harmful consequences.
Meet Jamie Lee Curtis, a popular actress with 5.9 million followers on Instagram. On October 9, 2023, she posted a photo of children staring at the sky in horror and captioned it, “Fear from the sky,” along with an Israeli flag emoji. This is likely to raise awareness about Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7th. In fact, it depicted Palestinian children, not Israelis, running away from danger. Curtis deleted the post after realizing his mistake. But who knows how many of her followers were already fooled by it. I wonder how many of you have already donated to fund the genocide given what you learned from this post?
In a democracy, each person’s voice matters. However, I believe it is undemocratic for celebrities to use their fans and the unregulated nature of social media to unilaterally exert unreliable political influence.
Jovana Radin is a third year student at University College studying Philosophy and Ethics, Social Studies and Law. She is a trustee of T Moot University and copy editor of The Varsity.
Viewers should research celebrities
In an age of misinformation and when celebrities have many sensitive supporters who listen to their every request, I find it helpful to research the backgrounds of celebrities and the social causes they support. is our responsibility.
It is unrealistic, even inhumane, to expect celebrities to withdraw from their activities. If a celebrity has personal experience related to a social cause, it makes sense for them to get involved. For example, in 2016, Canadian-Ethiopian singer The Weeknd donated $50,000 to fund U of T’s Ethiopian studies program. In 2018, he co-founded HXOUSE. HXOUSE is a Toronto-based organization that provides BIPOC youth with mentorship opportunities and access to “real-time information on how to accelerate their entrepreneurial journeys.”
Celebrities may have personal ties to activist causes. For example, Ariana Grande is a public ally of the LGBTQ+ community. She has pledged to contribute up to $1.5 million in 2022 to a fund she co-founded to fight trans legislation. It’s no surprise that Grande champions the LGBTQ+ community, as many of her brother and friends are members of marginalized groups.
Additionally, someone who has multiple levels of higher education and is successful in their field is someone you can trust to provide accurate information. For example, actress Brigitte Mendler is an aerospace research startup CEO. She holds a master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is a recent graduate of Harvard Law School. Although Mendler is not actively involved in activism, her educational background could lend credibility to her claims if she chooses to become involved.
Of course, there are exceptions to this. For example, Elon Musk is also highly educated and is a co-founder of SpaceX. But given the way he recently spread misinformation about Kamala Harris’ campaign, he’s particularly concerned about his platform’s policies prohibiting the sharing of manipulated media that could mislead viewers. If he doesn’t comply, I don’t think I can trust his activities.
As participants in activist movements, we have a say in who represents us, especially those with large platforms. If you see celebrities flying on private jets every other week advocating for climate change, I hope you reconsider your support for their cause.
Mari Khan is a third year student at UTM studying Geographic Information Systems. She is a copy editor at The Varsity
