The move reflects Democrats’ broader strategy to leverage their relationships with social media figures to expand their influence and boost turnout among key constituencies, particularly younger voters who may not follow traditional news media.
Young voters between the ages of 18 and 29 were key to Biden’s victory in the 2020 presidential election, which he beat Trump by 25 points. They are increasingly getting their political information from social media, with about a third of adults ages 18 to 29 saying they regularly get their news on TikTok, according to the Pew Research Center. (Both the Biden campaign and former President Donald Trump have joined the platform in recent months.)
Kayana McKee Nance, the convention’s director of digital strategy, said the plan is designed to “level the playing field for content creators and traditional media, ensuring more Americans than ever before can experience and engage with this important part of the Democratic electoral process.”
“Creators have revolutionized how Americans consume information and content, and their innovation will continue to play a critical role in how Americans view not only this election, but all future elections,” she added in a statement.
“We’re meeting the American people where they are and making sure they know what’s in store for them in November, regardless of how or where they choose to watch content,” said Matt Hill, senior communications director for the convention committee.
The committee plans to provide content to help creators post about the event for those who can’t attend in person, and is in talks with streaming providers about streaming long-form and short-form content during the week of the convention.
The convention committee said it has no intention of censoring influencer content or revoking access to critical coverage.
“Just as we respect the freedom of the press to cover the convention, we respect the freedom of creators to produce their own content,” a DNCC spokesperson said, emphasizing that the intention is “to allow more people to see behind the scenes of this part of the Democratic process and know the story of our party and our president.”
They compared the influencer outreach to efforts to incorporate bloggers and new media at past conventions. In 2020, coronavirus-era virtual conventions were broadcast both on television and on streaming services like Twitch.
This spring, the convention committee hosted influencers during media walkthroughs, providing the same logistical and technical briefings provided to traditional media, as well as special, dedicated tours and briefings for content creators. At the United Center, eligible creators have access to workspaces and lounge spaces, including the Penthouse, Lower Level, Media Row and Studio24, the convention’s in-house studio.
The committee will also launch a Chicago-specific influencer program showcasing local creators from the host city.
Samantha Lumpkin, a Chicago-based journalist and content creator who attended the spring media walkthrough, said the convention committee told her she could cover the convention both as a journalist and as a creator.
“The DNC is very traditional, so bringing in content creators adds a new air of innovation,” Lumpkin said, adding, “The average person isn’t going to the DNC, but they still want to watch it.”
Influencers who attended the walk-through asked committee staff whether they would be disqualified if they posted anything critical of Biden from the convention.
“One of the main things they said was that your access won’t be taken away solely because of the content you create,” said Sherman “Dilla” Thomas, a Chicago historian and creator with more than 111,000 followers on TikTok and 84,000 on Instagram. “If you’re just critical of something you heard in a speech or a conversation or an interview, you’ll still have the same access the next day. I thought that was pretty respectable.”
Thomas is accompanying the Democratic National Convention host committee and state Democratic Party chairs on a tour of Chicago and plans to lead and create more tours during the convention.
“I want to cover how the Democratic Party is engaging with BIPOC people,” Thomas said, referring to Black, Indigenous and people of color. “I’m really interested to see how much money the DNC is spending in Black and brown communities because in November they’re going to be trying to win not only the Black and Brown vote, but the Asian American vote as well.”
“Most of us content creators are middle-aged or younger, so we inherit the benefits and problems that politicians create,” Thomas added. “So shouldn’t we be the ones to step in and address this?”
