‘Tis the season—not the festive one, but the season of presidential political campaigns. This is the time when information overload bombards us from every direction, making it hard to distinguish what’s real from what’s not.
Campaign strategies have evolved, with social media becoming an indispensable tool in the last decade. It’s no surprise, considering that more Americans have shifted from print news to digital platforms and social media for their news. In this rapidly changing environment, where real and fake news often blur together, campaigns have capitalized on the fast-moving nature of the internet.
Just over a week ago, the internet nearly came to a standstill due to the unprecedented event of President Trump engaging in a conversation on X (formerly Twitter) with Elon Musk. This marked a significant moment, as it was the former president’s return to the platform that banned him in 2021 following the January 6th protests after the 2020 election.
Since then, President Trump has primarily used his own platform, Truth Social. The remarkable aspect of this event was that millions of users attempted to tune in, causing a delay that essentially “broke the internet.” After a 30-minute delay and some adjustments to the technology, the conversation between the two moguls finally commenced, lasting over two hours. This event signaled a major shift in social media campaigning.
On the flip side, this week we also observed Vice President Harris’s campaign defending its use of fabricated headlines in Google ads.
One campaign aide even appeared on television, stating, “It’s incumbent upon the people to do their due diligence and read the fine print that says the article is a paid advertisement.” In the chaotic world of digital-era political campaigns, it’s baffling why a presidential campaign would resort to such deceptive tactics, especially during a time of political instability.
Some have even compared these tactics to the propaganda methods used by communists during World War II in Europe. If I were advising Vice President Harris’s campaign, I would tread lightly with this strategy, especially given President Trump’s penchant for labeling his opponents and the media as “fake news.”
Such tactics could give him ample ammunition to paint the Vice President as a manipulative “communist.” While the internet can be a powerful asset, it requires careful navigation and the alignment of top-notch talent to manage its day-to-day operations effectively.
In recent months, there’s been a noticeable fatigue with digital forms of communication, particularly email and text message fundraising, from both sides of the political spectrum. I, myself, receive an average of 20 emails and 15 text messages per day soliciting donations for political candidates across the nation.
It’s an exhausting task to sift through them all. While digital platforms have revolutionized political campaigning, they also present significant challenges that could undermine the very democratic process these campaigns aim to support.
The saturation of information, the blurred lines between news and propaganda, and the ethical gray areas in digital strategies have left many voters confused and disillusioned. This digital fatigue is palpable, with many feeling overwhelmed by the constant barrage of political messaging, whether through social media, emails, or text messages.
As we move deeper into this campaign season, it’s clear that the internet, once seen as a tool for democratizing information, has become a double-edged sword. On one hand, it offers unprecedented reach and engagement, allowing candidates to connect directly with voters. On the other hand, it risks deepening divisions, spreading misinformation, and contributing to voter apathy.
The key moving forward will be finding a balance—leveraging the power of digital media while maintaining integrity and transparency. Voters are becoming more savvy and skeptical, and campaigns that fail to recognize this may find their digital strategies backfiring.
As we continue to witness these unfolding dynamics, one thing is certain: the way we engage with politics online will continue to evolve, and with it, the very nature of political discourse in America. Whether this evolution will lead to a more informed electorate or further complicate our political landscape remains to be seen. But for now, as the digital age collides with the traditional structures of campaigning, we can only brace ourselves for what’s to come.