Several Gen-Z online content creators have told the Daily Caller that the ‘Kamala is Brat’ TikTok trend and other viral Kamala Harris meme videos may be astroturfed efforts by Harris’s campaign and allies to artificially boost her appeal among young voters.
Soon after Harris emerged as the presumptive Democratic nominee, old clips of her began circulating widely online, often repurposed into memes designed to portray her as cool or humorous. While Democrats have hailed these videos as signs of genuine enthusiasm for Harris, some content creators argue that they were paid to promote her or that the campaign’s efforts appear more manufactured than grassroots, the outlet reported.
Comedian Steve McGrew recently shared an email online that appears to offer payment for posting positive content about Kamala Harris. According to the email, sent by a company called “LaunchViral,” the requirements include encouraging fans to share, like, and follow Harris, posting one or more memes, and using hashtags related to the Harris campaign on TikTok, Instagram, or both. The email also mentions a $150 cash bonus as an incentive for participation, which is detailed on a signup webpage.
“We’re excited to offer you a collaboration opportunity with Kamala Harris 2024 Presidential Campaign,” the advertisement email states. The application link within the email has since been deactivated following online backlash.
They trying to get ME to be a paid shill for Kamala. GFYS! But let this be a lesson… they are PAYING people to pretend to support KumSwalla pic.twitter.com/kokPoAHvyK
— Steve Mudflap McGrew’s REMASCULATE podcast (@REMASCULATE) July 28, 2024
Content creators have suggested that lighthearted Harris videos, such as those poking fun at her coconut tree anecdote or “Kamala IS brat” clips referencing British pop singer Charlie XCX’s new album “brat,” might be part of a strategy by Democrats to artificially boost support for their candidate through social media manipulation. Chrissy Clark, a Gen-Z conservative commentator formerly with the Daily Caller, claimed that Democrats are engaging in “dystopian shit” to sway the election. She alleged that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) operates an “influencer dark network” responsible for the viral videos, suggesting that this effort will only intensify.
The Caller noted further:
Promoting online trends are necessary to build up Kamala’s image and rebrand her as “cool and approachable”, according to Clark. The memes are attempts to drown out the voices of other creators stating they won’t vote for her just because “she’s a woman, or because she is black”, Clark told The Daily Caller.
These meme videos are becoming viral because younger generations interact with them thinking “she is easy to make fun of,” according to social media influencerSavannah Fuhr.
“She hasn’t done a good job of representing the people,” Fuhr told The Daily Caller. “Gen Z is looking for a leader” who will promote policies that help lift Americans out of the financial crisis, she added. Although young generations laugh at these videos, it’s not enough to convince them “to actually vote for her”, Fuhr claimed. The Gen-Z voting bloc has grown substantially since the last presidential election, with approximately 41 million eligible voters in 2024, according to Tufts’ CIRCLE. TikTok, a platform popular among Gen-Z, is now awash with videos of Kamala Harris laughing, dancing, and making jokes.
The trends create a feedback loop, with mainstream media portraying the surge in posts as organic support for Harris. CNN commentator Van Jones stated, “She’s gone from cringe to cool. “A whole generation has taken all the content and remixed it in all these incredible TikTok videos.”
The DNC has previously spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on a media company representing young TikTok influencers, as reported by the Daily Caller. Chris Mowrey and fellow influencer Harry Sisson built a substantial following by creating pro-Biden content on Twitter and TikTok. They worked with Palette, a talent management agency that received $210,000 from the DNC during the 2022 election cycle.
Disclaimer: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.