The UK government has spent more than £500,000 on social media influencers since 2024 to promote various public campaigns, according to figures obtained via Freedom of Information requests. This expenditure involves hiring 215 influencers—with 126 engaged in 2025 alone—as part of a strategic shift to reach younger audiences on platforms like TikTok and Instagram. While Downing Street defends the move as a necessary way to engage disengaged voters, critics and lobby journalists argue the practice avoids traditional media scrutiny and relies on “softball” questioning.
Date: December 25, 2025. Source: theguardian.com