Brooke Shirley, a 55-year-old digital influencer, is a rising star in right-wing social media. Together with her son, Nick Shirley, they’ve established themselves as one of the most influential mother-son duos in this rapidly evolving space. Their swift rise came right on the heels of the January 6 demonstrations at the United States Capitol. These happenings ignited their imaginations, amped up their manufacturing production and inspired their awesome content creation trailblazing. Only two weeks after the Capitol insurrection, Brooke began posting regularly on TikTok. She didn’t just respond—she capitalized on the political climate and world events to expand her following.
Nick documented the January 6 protests on the ground. With a heavy dose of shock and prank videos, ever since his high school days he has cultivated the MeatWagon channel to what it is today. Jointly, they assemble a relational database of important right-wing activity, issues and events happening in the United States, and increasingly around the globe. Their videos are taking off and sparking discussion on these important issues. They have raised fires, particularly with claims of fraud in Minnesota’s Somali community.
A Growing Online Presence
Brooke Shirley of @BrookeShirley3 has shared hundreds of videos through her TikTok account. One of her videos is close to amazing 360,000 views! She credits much of her success to her son and goes on to explain, “what Nick is doing is journalism. This behind-the-scenes look focuses on their collaborative process developing content together. Nick works with Brooke to create informative, entertaining videos that Brooke’s audience will love!
Nick’s videos tend to be longer and more intricately edited than his mother’s, showcasing his skills as a budding content creator. His formula has earned him a loyal following, especially among audiences eager to hear from the right flank of the ideological spectrum. Side by side, they tackle hot-button topics, often making the impact of their work greater by sharing stories from coast to coast.
The Shirley duo has been actively cultivated by Trump’s White House, aligning themselves with the former administration’s messaging and rhetoric. Their mutually beneficial relationship has only made their positions more rock solid as the towering figures of the new hard right. Nick Shirley stands out as part of a new wave of news influencers who gained prominence toward the end of Biden’s presidency, reflecting a shift in how information is disseminated in today’s digital landscape.
Controversial Content and Community Reactions
On December 26, Brooke posted an online video specifically targeting Minnesota’s Somali constituency. It sparked massive outrage and provoked a wave of anti-immigrant sentiment on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms. In her video, she made sweeping claims about fraud within the community, stating, “The Somalians are robbing the taxpayers in Minnesota blind.” This claim really connected with the right audiences and was the spark for a firehose of such copy across channels.
Nick’s mom’s words rang in his ears as he investigated reports of fraud at a daycare center. He reported: “This daycare says it can hold up to 40 children. I went up to the door. The door is secured shut, and as you might be able to notice, the windows are boarded. In fact, I can’t even hear the kids from inside this daycare. His exploration into this topic raised more eyebrows as he further noted that “you’d think there’d be children in there playing, being taught, but no one is in there.”
The response from community members and local elected officials has been accordingly tepid. Others have raised alarms about the dangers of perpetuating misinformation by distributing unverified content. Lisa DeMuth commented on the impact of their investigations: “By now, everyone has seen the viral video that in under an hour exposed more than a million dollars in fraud.” Her comments shine a light on the ridiculousness of their allegations and what it means for the future of public discourse.
Implications on Political Discourse
The ascent of the Shirleys, Brooke and Nick in particular, serves as a cautionary tale that social media is increasingly driving political narratives. Unsurprisingly, their content has been resoundingly successful with conservative audiences. In so doing it has come under attack from purveyors of democratic representation, like those who argue that sensationalism undermines democracy. Petros Iosifidis stated: “Such a usage of social media does not aid democratic representation and instead contributes to a greater destabilization of modern politics.”
Their joint work dives into some key ethical questions around influencer journalism. Perhaps most importantly, it affects the way the public gets informed—or misinformed—on these issues. Instead, they continue to explore topics that make headlines for the wrong reasons. This should worry anyone who cares about government accountability and the spread of racist, anti-stat… narratives.