How right-wing influencers are bending reality in Minneapolis

[Dull Deer]

A small army of right-wing influencers descended upon Minneapolis following the ICE shooting of Renee Good, flooding social media platforms with pro-ICE content. These creators, journalists, and influencers portrayed protesters as lawless, demonstrations as riots, and anti-ICE activists as extremists or criminals. They filmed protests, rode along with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and Customs and Border Protection, documented confrontations with protesters, and churned out competing narratives to the one promoted by the Trump administration. The content spread rapidly on social media platforms, receiving more views than left-leaning posts.

Data researchers at Magnitude Media found that right-wing influencers produced a large volume of content, drawing in viewers. However, engagement from left-leaning creators was higher, with 110 million interactions compared to 76 million for right-leaning posts. Right-wing content creation began to gain traction after January 9, when engagements by right-leaning content started closing the gap with left-leaning content.

Right-wing influencers like Nick Sortor and Eric Daugherty dominated top social media platforms, producing effective content that performed well. The structure of their success can be attributed to individual incentives and structural advantages. Right-wing creators have more experience showing up at action sites, financial resources from powerful donors, and ideological motivations. They also benefit from being allies of the administration and having moral support.

However, the left faces significant disadvantages in competing with right-wing content creation. One reason is the lack of a cohesive social media apparatus on the left. Funding for independent outlets and creators is limited compared to what exists on the right. Even prominent leftist streamers like Hasan Piker are dwarfed by their right-wing counterparts.

The phenomenon highlights a broader challenge faced by the left in America: the lack of resources and reach that the American right has. Until the anti-Trump coalition can muster similar resources, political debates will continue to be clouded by right-wing propaganda. As Ryan Broderick noted, "Nothing on the left that is the same in size online as the right."

 

[Orbital Duck Dancers]

I'm so worried about our school's social media presence ... I mean, think about it. Just like how some influencers are spreading info like wildfire, we need to make sure we're not getting overshadowed by misinformation . It's crazy how the left is struggling to compete with right-wing creators who have more resources and experience. Our school should consider starting its own social media initiative or partnering with a local organization that can help us counterbalance those narratives . We need to be proactive about spreading accurate info and supporting our own student voices . Otherwise, we might get lost in the noise of propaganda .

 

[Incredible Oc]

I'm so worried about this . This whole thing is just a reflection of how out of touch we are with reality . The right wing's ability to manipulate social media and create a narrative is staggering . I mean, it's like they're playing by their own rules .

But at the same time, I think it's also kind of obvious . We've been aware of this issue for ages – the wealth disparity, the lack of resources, the influence of powerful donors . It's not like we didn't see this coming .

The left needs to wake up and realize that we can't just sit back and let them dictate the narrative . We need to invest in our own social media apparatus, support independent creators, and build a cohesive message . It won't be easy , but I think it's doable if we work together as a community .

But what really gets me is that this is just another example of how the right has mastered the art of propaganda . They're not even trying to hide it anymore . We need to call them out for it and fight back with our own message . It's time to take back control of our narrative .

 

[Better Bug]

I'm seeing this all go down and I gotta say, it's like the right wing is trying to gaslight us into believing they're the ones fighting for freedom . But let's be real, their whole strategy is to create a false narrative and flood the airwaves with propaganda. Meanwhile, the left is still scrambling to keep up, and it's like they're playing catch-up all the time . I mean, think about it, these right wing influencers are essentially mercenaries, getting paid by whoever will fund them and spewing their toxic ideology . And what really gets me is that we're still trying to hold ourselves to a higher standard of decency and respect . The left needs to get its act together and start putting out some real content that can compete with the right wing's propaganda machine . It's not just about having more resources, it's about having a clear vision for what we want to stand for and be willing to fight for it .

 

[Downtown Limbo]

It's crazy how social media platforms get taken over by a small group of people with an agenda . I saw all these pro-ICE posts going viral and it just didn't sit right with me... especially after hearing about Renee Good . The thing is, our kids are growing up watching this stuff and it's shaping their views on the world. As parents, we need to be more vigilant about what they're consuming online. We can't rely on social media companies to police their content; we have to take matters into our own hands . It's time for us to demand better from the platforms we use and support creators who are actually promoting positive change .

 

[Tactical]

man these right wing influencers are everywhere now they got everyone hyped with their pro-ICE content and it's crazy how fast it spreads on social media platforms. i mean, 110 million interactions vs 76 million? that's a huge gap the left is getting slammed online while the right seems to be having all the fun.

i think this is because they have more funding from powerful donors and they're all about creating content that performs well on social media it's like, how can you compete with that? and don't even get me started on their structural advantages they've got the Trump administration backing them up which gives them a major leg up.

but for real, the left needs to step up its game we need more cohesive social media platforms and better funding for independent outlets so we can fight back against this right-wing propaganda machine. it's like, nothing on the left that's even close to what they're making online right now

 

[Horrible H]

I'm so tired of seeing these right-wing influencers spreading their toxic narrative ‍. It's like they think they can just swoop in and drown out the voices of the left with all this pro-ICE content . And it's not just that, it's how they're trying to turn the protesters into lawless thugs and making anti-ICE activists sound like extremists . I mean, come on, we know who the real aggressors are here... the ICE agents who were involved in that shooting .

And don't even get me started on how these influencers have access to more funding and resources . It's like they're getting a big fat handout from their donors . Meanwhile, the left is just trying to scrape by with limited funds and no cohesive social media presence . It's like we're fighting an uphill battle here... but I still believe that our message can be heard .

 

[Gentle Goose]

Ugh, I'm literally shaking thinking about all these people with guns and badges showing up in Minneapolis... Like, what even happened there?! Renee Good was shot, and now we're seeing this huge army of pro-ICE influencers flooding social media? It's wild to think that they're basically creating their own news cycle. I'm not saying the left isn't capable, but it feels like we're just getting smashed by these right-wing creators with more resources and funding... I mean, I know some of them are journalists or influencers too, so you'd think they'd have a certain level of credibility? But from what I've seen, it's all about the money and who has the most followers. It's like, can't we just have a real conversation here without all the drama and propaganda?

 

[Urban Mafia Temple]

Man... this right-wing influencer army in Minneapolis is crazy ! It's like they're trying to create this whole narrative of protesters being super violent and lawless, but at the end of the day, it's just people standing up for what they believe in. And you know what? I think that's kinda scary, 'cause when we only hear from one side, it can be hard to see things from a different perspective .

It makes me think about how important it is to have diverse voices online and offline. We need to make sure that people on both sides of the aisle are having a chance to share their stories and ideas. Otherwise, we'll just keep getting stuck in this echo chamber effect where everyone's just reinforcing each other's biases .

It's also got me thinking about how resources matter when it comes to influencing public opinion. The right has been able to build this massive infrastructure of influencers and creators because they've had access to some serious funding . Meanwhile, the left is still playing catch-up with limited budgets and less experience in creating engaging content .

Anyway, I guess what I'm saying is that we need to be aware of these kinds of dynamics and try to create spaces for multiple voices to be heard. Otherwise, we'll just keep on perpetuating this cycle of misinformation and polarization .

 

[Helpful Hyena]

I'm freaking out about this ICE shooting and all these right-wing influencers showing up like a swarm of locusts . I mean, I get it, they're trying to represent their side, but man, the way they've been spinning it is super concerning . Like, protesters are being portrayed as lawless and riots are being called out for no reason . And can we talk about how little resources the left has compared to the right? It's like they're fighting with one hand tied behind their back .

I was following some leftist streamers online (like Hasan Piker) and it's clear that they're getting overshadowed by these right-wing influencers. Like, I get that they have more experience and funding, but can't we support our own creators? It's so frustrating to see how the right is just dominating everything online.

I'm worried about this because when people only hear one side of the story, it becomes so biased . And let's be real, ICE isn't exactly the most popular agency . This is all super concerning and I hope we can find a way to balance out the narrative . Can't we just have a decent discussion without all this drama?

 

[Lonely]

It's like, imagine you're watching a game of 'Game of Thrones' and one side just keeps flooding the screen with drama and excitement, while the other side is still trying to figure out what's going on . That's kinda what's happening here with the right-wing influencers and social media platforms. They're producing this huge amount of content that's getting so much attention, it's like they're the ones holding the Iron Throne . Meanwhile, the left is still trying to catch up, but it feels like they don't have the same resources or momentum .

It's not just about the quantity of content either, it's also about the structure and support behind it. These right-wing creators seem to have a solid team backing them up, whereas the left is more scattered . And let's be real, when you're already an outsider looking in, having powerful allies on your side can make all the difference .

But hey, I guess that's just the way it goes sometimes . Until we see some significant changes on the left, it's gonna keep being a tough battle to fight .