Influencers are now a major force in Australian politics, but when online creators promote policies, campaigns or advocacy groups, how much does the audience actually know about who is behind the message?
Josh sat down with Hannah Ferguson, founder of Cheek Media, to ask directly about lobbying, advocacy groups, political outreach, paid partnerships, disclosure, and where the line sits between education, sponsorship and political influence.
As more Australians get their news and politics through Instagram, TikTok, Substack and podcasts, the question is no longer whether influencers matter. They do. The question is whether the same transparency expected of media, lobbyists and political campaigns should apply to the people shaping politics in your feed.
Michael West established Michael West Media in 2016 to focus on journalism of high public interest, particularly the rising power of corporations over democracy. West was formerly a journalist and editor with Fairfax newspapers, a columnist for News Corp and even, once, a stockbroker.
