Social Media’s impact on political advertisements in recent years has been enormous. The algorithm created online for social media users unjustly molds the minds of young voters through systems of advertisements. Regulation on the types of ads being produced must be made by social media companies.
Throughout the history of American politics, advertising has been largely distributed through outlets like newspapers, television, and radio with millions of dollars in funding being put into these outlets by campaigns. This has created an interesting dynamic where the party running who earns the most funding from donors often succeeds in the election.
Now, political outreach has made its way to social media where there are millions of young minds who can be influenced/persuaded into certain political views. Using people’s data and online history, ads are systematically shown to Americans who are most likely to resonate with certain ads.
“I had friends who were aligned to certain political parties who received tons of advertisements this election cycle,” said Jason Contreras, a senior in the PEACE pathway.
The use of personal data and history online to tailor ads to social media use is an absolute invasion of privacy and takes away from the importance of actual policy in politics. By showing ads that simply just attack the other party, we are further separating voters and turning politics into a fight of who is more likable, rather than who is genuinely best for the future of the country.
“I have noticed an increase in smear advertisements on social media this election cycle,” said Economics and Government teacher Ms. Boyd.
By removing these smear campaign ads from social media altogether, voters would be more likely to do their own research into who they feel genuinely carries the values they hold.
It can be argued that campaign commercials on social media are just yet another way of getting the message out about a campaign, but these ads aren’t just spreading policy information. Social media apps collect large amounts of data from users that political candidates use to target groups of voters. This allows for ads to be tailored for specific viewers, blocking young Americans from broadening their political opinions.
Social media is also home to enormous amounts of misinformation, which political candidates use to spread their own misinformation about opponents and themselves.
Future elections must have far more regulations and limitations to stop the further dividing of our country and the influx of smear advertisements.
