From entertainment to activism: the rise of influencer journalism

As traditional media loses trust, creators are stepping in to inform – but can entertainment really educate?

In a world of media commentary and divided opinion, we are beginning to see online creators master the art of turning controversy into conversation. Yet is this conversation a click-baited performance of activism, or a genuine attempt to challenge the systems they critique? Shift investigates the rise of political content online.

I exposed racists in London, reads the title of a Youtube video posted on September 27. It’s added to Celebrity Traitor’s Faithful Niko Omilana’s undeniably interesting inventory of influencer-journalism that has and continues to fool the public.

With the video gaining four million views in three days, Omilana is once again surrounded in political hysteria. And he is contributing to the rise of creators voicing social injustices.