While Joe Biden Is ‘Looking for a Job,’ Members of His Administration Held Court With Influencers
The creator economy is so hot that even outgoing President Joe Biden wants in.
The first-ever White House Creator Economy Summit took place this month, bringing not just creators and influencers to Washington, D.C., but also community builders, founders, lawyers, marketing executives, talent representatives, and union leaders (we see you, SAG-AFTRA).
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during a conversation with her colleague, Senior Adviser for Digital Strategy Patrick Stevenson, that some creators take advantage of not being tied to an organization like a traditional media company and build platforms that are unique to them and the issues they care about.
“You’re trusted. And it makes the difference,” Biden said during his remarks at the event. “I have a bunch of grandchildren and, with all due respect, they don’t read the same newspapers or watch the same television I do. They listen to all of you. My staff tells me that the creator economy is valued at $250 billion. I’d like to talk to you about borrowing some money from you all. And that is expected to double in the next few years.”
White House Director of Digital Strategy Christian Tom compared the trajectory of the creator economy with that of the railroad industry as it developed, calling it a force for growth and expansion with a long-term impact on job creation.
And the connection between politics and influencers goes well beyond a one-day event at the White House: More than 70 creators received credentials for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee last month, only to be topped by this week’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago inviting over 200 influencers and granting them special access such as a raised platform on the convention floor where they can engage with the event, as well as full-time staff working closely with them.
Following is a look at some topics addressed in-depth during the inaugural White House Creator Economy Summit. Details on the individual sessions came from this recap by creator economy expert and influencer marketing consultant Lindsey Gamble, who attended the event.
Finances
Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo and TikTok creator Hannah Williams (@thatmoneystreetgirl), who posts largely about matters like salary transparency, discussed the challenges influencers face due to circumstances like not receiving a W-2.
The lack of a W-2 has hamstrung creators in their attempts to make moves like securing health insurance or purchasing a car or home.
Adeyemo mentioned initiatives that could be helpful to creators in this situation, such as the IRS Free File service for filing their taxes and the State Small Business Credit Initiative, adding that the Biden administration has taken steps including making health insurance more affordable and investing in community banks, a potential source of loans for local creators and entrepreneurs.
Mental Health
The mental health strains that influencers deal with were talked about throughout the event.
Neera Tanden, Director of the Domestic Policy Council, led a panel featuring creators Joel Bervell, Lexi Hidalgo, and Kate Mackie.
Bervell, also a medical student who flags racial bias in medical tools, spoke about the disproportionate impact of online racial attacks on people of color and pushed for more time educating kids about social media.
Hidalgo talked about how negative comments from strangers affected her mental well-being, and she and Mackie suggested that allowing users of social platforms to remain anonymous empowers them to say things they would never otherwise say.
Tanden touted the bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act and its goal of providing both younger users and parents with tools to keep them safe online.
In a separate keynote conversation, makeup creator Jackie Aina spoke with White House Deputy Director, Office of Digital Strategy Tericka Lambert about how the pandemic exacerbated mental health challenges for creators and for people in general.
Artificial Intelligence
Arati Prabhakar, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and YouTube creator Gohar Khan looked at the pluses and minuses of AI in the creator economy.
Khan pointed out AI’s usefulness in scripting his videos, although he cautioned that the technology is still not advanced to the point where it captures his unique personality.
On the bad side, the creator noted that a deepfake video used his likeness to sell products on TikTok Shop.
Prabhakar agreed that a happy medium must be found between the benefits of AI and the disruption it is capable of, including costing people their careers, and she mentioned the Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence, aimed at helping to strike that balance.
Ordinary Joe
Biden used the event to throw out feelers for his “next job.”
He said, “Now, I know I only look like I’m 40. You can smile. But I’ve been around a long time, and it’s never been this bad before. I don’t mean the press. I mean the way we treat each other in politics. And it’s literally getting incredibly difficult to count the number of lies people hear. They don’t know what to believe. They don’t know what to count on. But you break through. You break through in ways that I think are going to change the entire dynamic of the way in which we communicate. And that’s why I invited you to the White House, because I’m looking for a job.”
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