Online Political Advertising and Microtargeting: Techniques for Precise Political Communication on the Web
Political microtargeting, a strategy that uses big data and algorithms to identify, persuade, and mobilize voters, has become a significant aspect of digital campaigns in recent years. This practice allows advertisers to target specific audiences and reach out to more voters than ever before, through methods such as door-to-door canvassing, phone calls, or ads on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.
One of the key advantages of political microtargeting is its ability to influence voters, particularly undecided ones, to go to the polls on election day. By delivering personalized messages that resonate with the interests and concerns of specific voter segments, politicians can tailor their message to be more effective. This targeted approach can increase the likelihood of winning elections and reduce overall costs for political candidates.
However, political microtargeting has also raised ethical concerns. The covert nature of influence through microtargeting can exploit vulnerabilities by delivering highly personalized political messages that manipulate decision-making without individuals’ awareness. This "online manipulation" involves an asymmetry of information and power, where data-driven digital platforms use detailed personal information to steer voter behavior covertly, potentially undermining mental autonomy—the capacity of individuals to govern their own cognitive processes free from illegitimate external influence.
The ethical risks include the manipulation of voters through misinformation, exploiting cognitive biases, reinforcing political polarization, and creating unfair advantages for well-funded campaigns that can afford sophisticated data analytics and AI-driven personalization.
In response to these concerns, the European Union has taken concrete steps with the Regulation on the Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (PAR), effective since April 2024. The PAR aims to increase transparency about who is behind political advertising and the targeting criteria used, addressing the information asymmetry and "laissez-faire" approaches previously dominating online political advertising. It requires platforms to disclose the targeting parameters of political ads and imposes safeguards against hidden influence and data exploitation.
The regulation is part of broader efforts to balance the protection of mental autonomy and democratic integrity with challenges posed by advanced computational propaganda techniques, including generative AI-enhanced microtargeting. Other ethical and regulatory challenges include how to define and detect manipulative content, balancing freedom of expression against misinformation, and the technical difficulty of enforcing rules on global digital platforms.
Privacy and data protection rules are essential when it comes to political microtargeting. In the UK, politicians are now forbidden to use personal information for political purposes to protect people's privacy when sharing thoughts on social media.
Despite the controversies, political microtargeting has proven effective. For instance, the Democratic National Committee has demonstrated its effectiveness by using demographics and interests to target voters. As technology continues to evolve, the future of political microtargeting may involve developing a system that allows politicians to target their more extensive base with specific messaging aimed at each individual.
References: 1. Allcott, H., & Gentzkow, M. (2017). Social media and fake news in the 2016 election. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 31(2), 211-230. 2. Kiesler, S., & Kraemer, K. L. (2019). AI and the challenge of political manipulation. Journal of Information Technology & Politics, 16(1), 1-13. 3. Nguyen, T. D., & Kwak, H. (2018). Search engine manipulation effect (SEME) and voter turnout: An empirical analysis of the 2016 US presidential election. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(17), 4391-4396. 4. European Commission. (2021). Regulation (EU) 2021/1277 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 on the transparency and targeting of political advertising. Official Journal of the European Union, L 239, 1-12. 5. Woolley, S., & Howard, R. C. (2018). Computational propaganda and political polarity. Journal of Information Technology & Politics, 15(1), 1-13.
- As digital campaigns continue to expand, consulting firms offering services such as data analytics and email campaigns are essential for politicians aiming to leverage microtargeting effectively.
- A growing concern in the field of politics is the use of personal data for microtargeting by social media platforms, which can potentially exploit individual vulnerabilities and undermine mental autonomy.
- The Democratic Party's successful employ of email campaigns and social media ads highlight the impact of microtargeting on voters, allowing candidates to personalize their messages and boost their chances of winning elections.
- To address the ethical concerns surrounding the use of personal data in targeting political ads, the European Union has implemented the Regulation on the Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (PAR) to increase transparency and safeguard against hidden influence and data exploitation.
- The regulation of political microtargeting is a complex issue involving not only big tech companies and political parties but also general-news media outlets, as they all play a role in shaping public opinion through social media, ads, and data analytics.
