Silence or solidarity?

In today's digital era, social media influencers have emerged as significant opinion leaders, shaping public discourse on pressing global crises. This thesis investigates the expectations that Dutch young adults (aged 16-29) hold regarding the crisis-related communications of influencers on Instagram. Despite their prominence in the media landscape, little is known about how followers perceive the authenticity and responsibility of influencer responses during critical events such as war, climate change, and sexual misconduct. This study delves into the question: What are the expectations of Dutch young adults regarding the social media activity and statements of public figures about current crises concerning war, climate change, and sexual harassment? Drawing on theories such as parasocial relationships, uses and gratifications, cultivation theory, and social identity theory, the study examines how followers interpret influencers' social responsibility, authenticity, and credibility during crises. A qualitative approach was employed using five focus groups with diverse participants. Two influencers: Monica Geuze (macro-influencer) and Tom Schimmelpennink (micro-influencer). Together they served as case examples to explore how follower count and content alignment affect audience expectations. Findings reveal that audiences value authenticity and consistency over frequency of posting. Influencers are expected to speak out when the issue aligns with their identity and previous content. Participants emphasized the importance of explaining the reason behind it. Crises perceived as moral (e.g., sexual misconduct) evoked stronger expectations for influencers to take a public stance, while politically sensitive topics like war were approached more cautiously. Climate change prompted mixed reactions, often depending on the influencer's perceived credibility on the topic. This study contributes to the understanding of how social media users-especially Gen Z-perceive the role of influencers in times of crisis. The findings offer insights for influencers, communication professionals, and policy makers aiming to engage young audiences in a credible and responsible manner.