Ready for it? Taylor Swift didn’t lose millions of followers after endorsing Kamala Harris

Since Taylor Swift endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee, misinformation about the singer-songwriter has proliferated online. 

We’ve already fact-checked false claims that Swift lost endorsement deals and merchandising income; now some social media users are saying millions of fans have parted ways with her, too.

"Taylor Swift had 301 million Instagram followers last week, a Sept. 16 Instagram post said. "She endorsed Kamala Harris 5 days ago. She now only has 284 million followers. She lost 17 million followers by endorsing Kamala." 

"And just like that Taylor Swift loses more than half of her followers … mic drop," a Sept. 11 Threads post said.

"Taylor Swift loses 50 million Instagram followers," a Sept. 17 Facebook post said.

These posts were flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads.)

A Swift spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to PolitiFact’s questions about the claims. 

But news coverage of Swift’s Sept. 10 endorsement of Harris tells a different story. 

Swift endorsed Harris moments after a presidential debate between the vice president and former President Donald Trump ended that night in Philadelphia.  

Because her endorsement came via an Instagram post, many news stories from that night reported on the post’s influence — and her follower count. 

"The superstar posted her endorsement to her 283 million followers just minutes after the presidential debate Tuesday," the Chicago Sun-Times said in a subheadline.

"‘Like many of you, I watched the debate tonight,’ she wrote in a lengthy post to her 283 million followers," The Hollywood Reporter said, quoting Swift.

"‘As a voter, I make sure to watch and read everything I can,’ Swift wrote on Instagram to her 283 million followers late on Tuesday, adding: ‘I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 presidential election,’’ The Guardian said.

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In March, when Swift urged Tennessee voters to cast a ballot, she had 282 million Instagram followers, NBC News reported at the time.

And on Sept. 18, about a week after her Harris endorsement? She had more than 284 million followers.

Some of these claims may have originated on self-described satire sites. A Facebook account that notes "nothing on this page is real" posted two such fake news dispatches. 

"Taylor Swift loses more than 100 million followers on Instagram after Harris endorsement," a Sept. 11 post said.

"Taylor Swift loses another 50 million followers on Instagram after Trump’s latest post: ‘I hate Taylor Swift,’" a Sept. 16 post said. (Trump did say "I hate Taylor Swift," but she didn’t lose 50  million fans.)

Both of these posts were clearly labeled "rated satire."

But the others we’ve mentioned weren’t. We rate claims Swift lost millions of followers for endorsing Harris False.