Marianna Spring
Disinformation and social media correspondent

Noel Drake, a 29-year-old who lives in Utah, said she felt “very dark” about politics before this year.

During the 2020 presidential election, she became completely disillusioned.

But Taylor Swift – and her fans – helped her change her mind. she told me.

“This sense of community that I have built through interacting with other Swifties online has really changed the way I interact with politics this election cycle,” she said.

After Swift endorsed Democratic candidate Kamala Harris a month ago, Drake began following a fan-run campaign group called Swifties for Kamala. The group is not officially affiliated with the Harris campaign but is in regular contact with campaign staff.

The BBC has tracked down dozens of voters like Drake who say posts from Swift and her mega-fans on social media motivated them to vote or get involved. But just because you’re a fan of Swift doesn’t mean you’ll vote like herI learned.

Part of the appeal of celebrity advertising — and the political content generated by its fandoms — is that this type of user-generated content feels real, unlike paid advertising.

Recommendations can backfireHowever, surveys show.

Massachusetts residents Bri says she chooses to vote Republican Still, because “at the end of the day, people have to do what’s best for them.”

She told me she thinks Swift has such a loyal fan base, She should stay out of politics be fair to all sides.