Some of Taylor SwiftB次元官网网址檚 fans want you to know three things: TheyB次元官网网址檙e not still 16, they have careers and resources and, right now, theyB次元官网网址檙e angry. ThatB次元官网网址檚 a powerful political motivator, researchers say.

Look what Ticketmaster made them do.

It started Nov. 15, when millions crowded a presale for SwiftB次元官网网址檚 long-awaited Eras Tour, By Thursday, citing insufficient remaining tickets and inciting a firestorm of outrage from fans. Swift herself said

Ticketmaster apologized but the bad blood had already been sowed. And now fans B次元官网网址� and politicians B次元官网网址� have started acting on it.

U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez directed Swifties to where they could make U.S. Department of Justice complaints. Multiple B次元官网网址� including in Pennsylvania and Tennessee, key states in SwiftB次元官网网址檚 origin story B次元官网网址� have announced investigations.

Stephanie Aly, a New York-based professional who has worked on community organizing for progressive politics, for years has thought mobilizing fandoms for social progress could be beneficial.

B次元官网网址淔andoms are natural organizers,B次元官网网址� said the 33-year-old Swiftie. B次元官网网址淚f you find the right issues and you activate them and engage them then you can effect real change.B次元官网网址�

In 2020, for instance, K-pop fans organized to and sought to inflate registration for a Donald Trump rally. Aly and Swifties from different industries B次元官网网址� law, public relations, cybersecurity and more B次元官网网址� have joined forces to create Vigilante Legal, a group targeting Ticketmaster by creating email templates to petition attorneys general and providing antitrust information. Thousands have expressed interest in helping or learning more.

B次元官网网址淭he level of anger that youB次元官网网址檝e just seen in the country around this issue is astounding,B次元官网网址� said Jean Sinzdak, associate director for the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University. B次元官网网址淧eople are really sharing their feelings about that and building a movement about that online, which I really think is quite fascinating. ItB次元官网网址檚 certainly an opportunity to engage people politically. Whether it lasts is hard to say, but it certainly feels like a real opportunity.B次元官网网址�

In one way, said Sinzdak, this is giving SwiftB次元官网网址檚 large following of younger people a direct line to seeing how policy takes shape. ItB次元官网网址檚 also targeting a demographic that is seldom courted by politicians during election season.

B次元官网网址淣obody goes out and thinks, B次元官网网址楲etB次元官网网址檚 target young women,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� said Gwen Nisbett, a University of North Texas professor who researches the intersection of political engagement and pop culture. B次元官网网址淏e it about abortion or student loans, that age group is super mobilized and young women are super mobilized.B次元官网网址�

Fan culture and community has boosted that tendency toward mobilization. Nisbett was studying parasocial relationships B次元官网网址� when fans have strong one-way relationships with celebrities B次元官网网址� in 2018, when the previously apolitical Swift posted an endorsement of Democratic candidates to social media. Nisbett found that while such posts may not determine fansB次元官网网址� votes, they still led to the increased likelihood fans would look for more information about voting B次元官网网址� and actually vote.

For the record: an extensive survey of the U.S. electorate, showed about a third of Tennessee voters in 2018 said they had a favorable opinion of Swift, and among them, a large majority B次元官网网址� about 7 in 10 B次元官网网址� backed Democrat Phil Bredesen in the Senate contest. That was in clear contrast to the roughly third of voters who had an unfavorable opinion of Swift and overwhelmingly backed Republican Marsha Blackburn.

For Swifties, the ire for Ticketmaster is not just about a ticket: B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 the fact that you canB次元官网网址檛 participate in your community and your fandom and itB次元官网网址檚 part of your identity,B次元官网网址� Nisbett said.

This isnB次元官网网址檛 even the first time a fandom or an artist has targeted Ticketmaster. in 1994, although the to bring a case. More recently, Bruce Springsteen fans were enraged over high ticket costs because of the platformB次元官网网址檚 dynamic pricing system.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not just about getting vengeance for Swifties. ItB次元官网网址檚 not about getting an extra million Taylor Swift fans tickets, or all of us going to a secret session,B次元官网网址� said Jordan Burger, 28, who is using his law background to help the cause. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 about fundamental equality. And when you have a monopolist like that, itB次元官网网址檚 just so representative of the class structure of a society where there isnB次元官网网址檛 equality anymore, there isnB次元官网网址檛 fairness.B次元官网网址�

The sheer power and size of SwiftB次元官网网址檚 fandom has spurred conversations about economic inequality, merely symbolized by Ticketmaster.

Aly noted that quite a few of the members of the group did get tickets; the issue is is bigger than Ticketmaster, she said.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e gotten some feedback that, B次元官网网址楾his is too big, let the government handle it.B次元官网网址� Have you seen the U.S. government? The government only functions when the people push it to and when the people demand that it function and the people are involved,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淓ven when something seems too big to fail or too powerful to fail, there are always enough of us to make a difference. Your involvement may be the thing that pushes it over the edge that forces the government to act.B次元官网网址�

Aly says many grown-up Swifties have 10-15 yearsB次元官网网址� experience of being bullied for liking the singer B次元官网网址� but what fans have in mind might be better than revenge.

B次元官网网址淲e have thick skin and nothing to lose, really,B次元官网网址� Aly said.

B次元官网网址擝rooke Schultz, The Associated Press