Makenna Kelly

In this discussion, Makenna Kelly, a senior reporter at WIRED, unravels how foreign governments use influencers as tools of propaganda. She delves into the rise of state-hosted influencer tours and their parallels to public diplomacy. Countries like Israel and Russia leverage creators to shape narratives, with MAGA influencers being courted to spread messages. Kelly highlights the lack of disclosure rules around these initiatives and the implications for creators, revealing how financial incentives and powerful connections drive participation.