Internet celebrity and politics

analysis of the profiles of Councilors Elected to the São Paulo City Council in 2024

Abstract

Throughout this research, we aim to present the conceptual foundations of celebrity studies and subsequently apply this theoretical lens to a concrete case: the 2024 election for the legislative chamber of the city of São Paulo. To this end, we draw primarily on the theoretical frameworks of Edgar Morin’s reflections on the Star System, Paula Sibilia’s concept of extimacy, Chris Rojek’s taxonomy of celebrity types, and Byung-Chul Han’s notion of shitstorm. Although the involvement of celebrities in politics is not a recent phenomenon, this election reveals the rise of web celebrities. Our objective is to examine the power of social media in influencing electoral outcomes and to understand which visibility strategies and public persona constructions were adopted by the newly elected candidates. Furthermore, we seek to explore how the success of these individuals may reshape the configuration of political institutions in the coming years.