Forum: Do celebrities have a responsibility to participate in social activism?

Movie stars and singers are not politicians who have direct control over national and international affairs, but it is undeniable that celebrities have a platform that could easily motivate people to put pressure on the decision-makers. However, just because they have the power to do so, does that necessarily mean they have the responsibility to?

We asked three students about their opinions on the merging roles of celebrities and social activists.

Celebrities should take a stand

With the rise of social media, the world is more connected and accessible than ever. Young people globally are engaging in social activism, raising awareness on critical issues such as the genocide in Palestine, climate change, women’s reproductive rights, Indigenous peoples’ rights, and many more.

I believe that celebrities, like the rest of us, have a responsibility to speak up about socio-political issues. While most of us are not social or political scholars, we still take the initiative to learn and spread awareness. Social activism is less about who has the merits to educate others and more about encouraging people to educate themselves. 

As the saying goes, “with great power comes great responsibility.” In my opinion, neutrality is complacency, and remaining silent in times of needed action is both unfeeling and cruel. 

Celebrities who have spoken up on issues have inspired others to take action. After Taylor Swift endorsed Kamala Harris during the September 10 US presidential debate, vote.org, a website for U.S. voter registration, saw a 585 per cent spike in users compared to the previous eight days. Vote.gov also received nearly 406,000 visitors within 24 hours through a link that Taylor Swift shared on her Instagram. Additionally, actress and activist Jane Fonda raised nearly 2 million USD and helped get 42 climate advocates elected to office. 

When speaking out is pressing and imperative, remaining silent is more than a missed opportunity — it’s a choice. I believe true humanity is not about fame or popularity, but about how one acts when in a position of power or when aid can be provided. Celebrities, with their vast reach, have a responsibility to use their platforms to raise political awareness. In moments of injustice and crisis — which seem perpetual and unending — silence speaks volumes, but action can make all the difference. 

Zaneb Asad is a fourth-year student at UTM studying English.

Celebrities should stay out of politics

While it is important for everyone to engage in socio-political activism, there is a right and wrong place for it — and having the power to exert political influence does not necessarily justify its use. I believe it is unethical for celebrities to use their platforms to pressure the public about politics. They hold too much power with too little accountability.

Celebrities have platforms of mass influence, but those platforms were not created for political discourse. They earned their influence through talent as entertainers, not through political education or engagement. Therefore, I question whether they are qualified to broadcast their personal political interests through relatively unregulated public platforms such as Instagram or X.

Apart from that, the relationship between celebrities and their fans is sometimes rooted in their fans’ blind admiration and uncritical loyalty. In my view, using their platform to politically influence fans would be an abuse of that relationship. Given how globally interconnected digital media has become, it is especially easy for a celebrity — whether unintentionally or not — to spread misinformation that could lead to harmful consequences.

Just look at Jamie Lee Curtis, a beloved actress with 5.9 million Instagram followers. On October 9, 2023, she posted a picture of children looking at the sky in fear, captioned “Terror from the skies” with an Israeli flag emoji — presumably to raise awareness about Hamas’ attacks against Israel on October 7. But, the picture in fact showed Palestinian children running from danger — not Israeli. After Curtis was made aware of her mistake, she deleted the post. But who knows how many of her followers were already misled by it? I wonder how many already donated money to fund a genocide because of what they thought they learned from this post.

In a democracy, every person’s voice matters. However, I believe it is undemocratic for a celebrity to exploit their fans and the unregulated nature of social media to exert their unsolicited and unreliable political influence.

Jovana Radin is a third-year student at University College studying philosophy and ethics, society, and law. She is a board member of U of T Moot, and a copy-editor for The Varsity.

Viewers should do their research on celebrities

In the age of misinformation and an age when celebrities have large, impressionable followings that will listen to their every demand, I argue that it’s our responsibility to do our research on the celebrities’ backgrounds and the social causes they support. 

Expecting celebrities to step away from activism is unrealistic and even inhumane. When celebrities have personal experiences related to a social cause, it makes sense for them to participate in activism. 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-found HXOUSE, a Toronto-based organization that offers mentorship opportunities and access to “real-time information on how to accelerate entrepreneurial endeavors” for BIPOC youth.

Celebrities can have personal ties to activist causes. Ariana Grande, for instance, is a public ally of the LGBTQ+ community. In 2022, she pledged to match up to 1.5 million USD in donations to a fund she co-created to combat anti-trans bills. It makes sense that Grande would advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, as her brother and many of her friends are part of the marginalized group. 

Additionally, someone who has pursued multiple levels of higher education and is succeeding in their field is someone I can trust to provide accurate information. Actress Bridgit Mendler, for example, is a startup CEO for aerospace research. She holds a master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and recently graduated from Harvard Law School. While Mendler is not actively engaged in activism, her educational background could lend credibility to her arguments if she ever chooses to get involved in social causes.. 

Naturally, there will be exceptions to this. For example, Elon Musk also pursued higher education and is a co-founder of SpaceX. However, considering how he recently spread misinformation about Kamala Harris’ campaign, I doubt I would trust his activism, especially if he cannot comply with his own platform’s policy that bans the sharing of manipulated media that can mislead viewers.

As participants in activist causes, we have a say in who represents us — especially those with large platforms. If a celebrity advocates for climate change but then takes a private jet every other week, I hope we’ll reconsider our support for their activism. 

Mari Khan is a third-year student at UTM studying geographical information systems. She is a copy-editor at The Varsity