Cheek Media founder Hannah Ferguson announces bid for Senate in 2028, says new media needs guidelines

New media should be better regulated, and a code of conduct for political influencers and online commentators should be considered, creator Hannah Ferguson has argued.

The self-described “progressive” Cheek Media founder and podcaster at the National Press Club on Wednesday announced a plan to run as an independent senator at the 2028 election.

“I think running is the next step for me, and I want to show young women that they can run, they can fail, they can succeed,” she said, noting that she did not think she would win.

Ms Ferguson did not hold back in her speech and saying creators such as herself had been derided and that “influencer has been the dirtiest word of this campaign”.

But she said influencers shouldn’t be “collaboratively posting with politicians” because it could be construed as an endorsement.

During the election campaign, content made by podcaster Abbie Chatfield with both former Greens leader Adam Bandt and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese were investigated — and cleared — by the Australian Electoral Commission.

Ms Ferguson, who did not point specifically to this example, said even if users can see a collaborative post is “clearly not” an endorsement, the public are “fair to be confused by that when consuming Instagram content”.

“At a social media level, there needs to be clear regulations and guidance when it comes to authorisations, endorsements, collaborative posting,” she said, making clear she has never accepted money from political parties.

She said regulation should “be uniform” and said politicians should “wear their sponsors on their shirts while they make policy announcements”.

“Content creators are clearly required to label paid partnerships, but we’re being scapegoated while Goliath continues the rampage,” she said.

Electoral content must be authorised if it’s intended to influence votes, and if paid for by a political party, candidate, or “significant third party”. There are exemptions for news or genuine editorial content.

The 26-year-old, who has hundreds of thousands of followers across Instagram and TikTok and does not describe herself as a journalist, said after the Federal election there was a case for an enforced code of ethics that governs traditional and new media.

Ms Ferguson who has been routinely critical of former opposition leader Peter Dutton and Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, said the current media regulations were weak and the code of ethics powerless.

“I want there to be a code of ethics that governs us all, I’m not sure if it is a one-size-fits-all thing. There should be a fit-and-proper person test as to who can own and operate media,” she said.

“When it comes to commentary and social media, I think it’s about regulating disinformation and misinformation online, and how our algorithms operate and feed us.”

Ms Ferguson is one of several progressive new media content creators who have become influential in the political news cycle.

She said one of the reasons so many voices like her own have flourished is because of Australia’s media landscape.

“In the US, under an optional voting system where really the major parties are the only foreseeable voting choices, and a media landscape where Fox (News) is far-Right but there are more moderate options… the success (of manosphere influencers) came because they were able to offer the antidote to that, and the rise up in this far-right, extreme establishment,” she said.

“In Australia, we have the opposite. A far-Right leaning landscape… When the majority of the eyes are being driven to right leaning media, the attitude is offered up by progressives.”