People are taking a patchwork approach to self-expression to feel like they have control over how their identity is generated. Yet as individual expression becomes more mutable and mistrust in social systems abounds, there’s one place above all that people are seeking integrity and guidance: brands.

TikTok creators are taking part in debates on the platform in the run-up to the US presidential election. These ‘political battlers’ are building new modes for political engagement and making up to $7000 a month through virtual gifts, but concerns remain about moderation and misinformation.

Creators have produced an open letter calling for Meta to reverse its introduction of default settings limiting political content in favor of an opt-in system. Ahead of a potentially politically transformative year, online censorship is fuelling concerns about widespread misinformation.

As meme culture has blossomed online, so too has the political meme become a significant aspect of online political debate and a vehicle for irreverent reaction to political events. Looking at which memes are widely circulated or adapted helps to offer a ‘temperature check’ to gauge popular opinion.

Founded by former Obama aides, Crooked Media is leveraging its podcast network to encourage political engagement and support for electoral races. With declining trust in government and political exhaustion rising among Americans, Crooked Media aims to reinvigorate democratic participation.