Eureka Day is a play where many of the characters have big disagreements on issues that science has solidly proven. So how do people—who in this case live in the same town and whose children attend the same school—have such widely-differing views of reality?

One answer: Social media influencers. 

Social media has become many people's primary source of news and information. According to Reuters' 2026 Digital News Report, about 54% of respondents use social media to access news, compared to about 51% who go to news organization websites first.

This news is often filtered through other users' biases and opinions—especially with the rise of influencers. An article published earlier this year in the Journal of Psychology and Marketing, "Don't You Know That You're Toxic? How Influencer-Driven Misinformation Fuels Online Toxicity," by Cardiff University professors Giandomenico Di Domenico and Dr. Denitsa Dineva and Bergamo University professor Federico Mangiò, examines this phenomenon:

"While regular users might see inaccurate posts called out and critiqued, the unique parasocial bond influencers have with their communities means these groups are much more likely to get behind an idea without interrogating its veracity.

This means these posts do not simply attract more attention; they actually transform…individual reactions into collective, belief‐driven antagonism. Misinformation introduced within these relationships therefore has much more traction and potential for harm."

How do paid influencers build these relationships? A 2024 article by University of Washington researchers Rachel E. Moran, Anna L. Swan, and Taylor in the International Journal of Communication finds that influencers cultivate both an aura of expertise and a sense of intimacy with followers:

"Over the course of observation, grid posts, reels, and Instagram Stories reflected a pattern of direct and personal communication between each influencer and their followers. When an influencer shared their knowledge…they reinforced their expertise. This expertise is then projected as something followers can learn from.

However, while they are positioned as authority figures, these influencers do not distance themselves from their communities. In one grid post featuring quotes…they used the plural "we" to describe themselves in relation to their followers, acknowledging them further as "my friends." Language use also emerged as a tactic for establishing a community of those in-the-know."

When followers feel connected to someone they view as a celebrity, they're more likely to believe what that person posts—and less likely to push back the way they might with someone they know in real life.

But who is paying for these views? A 2021 ProMarket.org interview with Samuel Wooley, assistant professor of journalism and project director for propaganda research at the Center for Media Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin, reveals his research shows how:

"…influencers…are being paid by super PACs or by companies employed by political organizations, in order to spread particular types of messaging, giving it the illusion of more authenticity...[a] more personal nature."

Although paid influencers are technically required to disclose sponsorship, Wooley found that "…much of the paid political influencers that we see…do not disclose the fact that they're working for political campaigns."

If much of the mis- and disinformation on social media comes from undisclosed paid influencers, how do we protect ourselves and each other?

The Poynter Institute's guide, "Is This Legit? Digital Media Literacy 101" offers a starting point: how to fact-check, "search like a pro," recognize deepfakes, verify photos and videos, and spot red flags for misinformation.

Media literacy isn't a one-time fix—it's an ongoing practice, especially as disinformation tactics keep evolving. Resources like Poynter's guide give us a starting toolkit, but the real work happens each time we pause before sharing or verifying a claim before it spreads. 

The families of Eureka Day didn't set out to distrust each other or the facts in front of them—they were pulled apart by forces working quietly behind the scenes. Protecting ourselves from that same kind of manufactured division means choosing to slow down in a media ecosystem built for speed.

Catch all the tea from the chat in Eureka Day! Playing Sept. 24–Nov. 15 on the Leo K. stage at Seattle Rep.

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^{This article was originally published in Seattle Rep's Eureka Day Youth Guide.}