How Influencers Indirectly Mobilise Action and Legitimate Violence

Influencers are key mobilisers of collective action, shaping narratives that create urgency, define group norms, and can indirectly legitimate violence without issuing explicit calls to action.

The August 2024 riots across the UK followed a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport on 29th July, which killed three young girls and injured several others. Misinformation rapidly spread online falsely claiming the attacker was an asylum seeker or Muslim immigrant. Gatherings, initially framed as vigils, turned violent, with attacks on mosques, immigrants, and police officers.

Social media played a central role in the protests, both through organisational group chats and political influencers shaping narratives around the riots. Influencers are effective mobilisers of (violent) action due to their established follower bases, which readily consume and disseminate content. One-to-many communication forms, such as Telegram channels, enable rapid spread of messages. Beyond direct calls to action, influencers can indirectly mobilise followers by defining group boundaries and norms, influencing who acts in what way while remaining legally protected from incitement charges.

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