New Data Sources and Presidential Campaigns

The use of digital technologies by political campaigns has been a topic of scholarly concern for over two decades. However, these studies have been mostly focused on analyzing the use of digital platforms without considering contextual factors of the race, like public opinion polling data. Polling data is an important information source for both citizens and candidates, and provides the latter with information that might drive strategic communication. In this paper, we explore the relationship between the use of social media in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Elections and candidates' standing in public opinion polls focusing on the surfacing and primary stages of the campaign. We are also interested in understanding whether candidates use Twitter and Facebook in similar ways. We used automated content analysis to categorize social media posts from all 21 Republican and Democratic candidates that ran for president in 2016. Specifically, we are interested in observing whether a candidate's performance in the polls drives certain communicative strategies, such as the use of attacks and messages of advocacy, as well as the focus on personal image or policy issues.

Acta Universitatis Danubius: Relationes Internationales, 2018

The 21st century has witnessed diverse technological advancement, part of which is the introduction of social media, which has permeated almost all areas of human endeavour, including politics. The 2016 American presidential elections in particular have become one of the most divisive trajectories because the social media became, in the hands of the two main candidates, Hillary and Trump, an effective tool of spreading hate, mischief and misinformation. Generally, politicians have swerved from the use of traditional media (broadcast and print) to the use of social media to car ry out their political ambition. This paper examines the role of social media in the awareness, participation, and mobilizing electorates during the 2016 presidential election. The method of analysis is descriptive and the data are drawn from secondary literature. One of the major challenges of electioneering in the 21st century is that, due to the faceless nature of the internet, social media spreads propagan...

International Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences , 2024

This research explores the intricate relationship between social media and politics, focusing on the impact of digital media on political communication and engagement. The examined literature encompasses diverse dimensions, including the logic of connective action in contentious politics, the role of social media during uprisings, and the evolving landscape of election campaigns with platforms like Twitter. Case studies scrutinize the use of social media analytics in campaigns, shedding light on predictive modelling, personalized messaging, and ethical challenges. The study delves into the intersection of technology and democracy, emphasizing the power dynamics in play. The analysis extends to the global context, exploring online practices and the influence of social media on various movements. As a comprehensive review, this research contributes to understanding the multifaceted dynamics of social media's influence on political processes.

Oxford Handbooks Online, 2014

New media have been playing an increasingly central role in American elections since they first appeared in 1992. While television remains the main source of election information for a majority of voters, digital communication platforms have become prominent. New media have triggered changes in the campaign strategies of political parties, candidates, and political organizations; reshaped election media coverage; and influenced voter engagement. This chapter examines the stages in the development of new media in elections from the use of rudimentary websites to the rise sophisticated social media. It discusses the ways in which new media differ from traditional media in terms of their form, function, and content; identifies the audiences for new election media; and examines the effects on voter interest, knowledge, engagement, and turnout. Going forward, scholars need to employ creative research methodologies to catalogue and analyze new campaign media as they emerge and develop.

2020

Social media is the future of communication, of advertising, and now, it’s the future of politics. Thanks to former President Obama’s revolutionary 2008 campaign, it is nearly impossible for a presidential hopeful to run without having an active social media presence. The United States’ most recent presidents, Barack Obama and Donald Trump, are both known for their wildly successful usage of social media for their campaigns. In the 2020 election, Donald Trump has a clear advantage over the challenger, Joe Biden, who will need to step up his social media presence if he is to have a chance of beating President Trump. With the new world of social media marketed presidential campaigns comes a whole new world of challenges, such as unnecessary controversy, spreading of propaganda, new discussions of freedom of speech versus censorship, and the right to privacy. Overall, social media has forever changed the American political system, but there is still a glimmer of hope for the future of the United States.

Social Media + Society

Political campaigns' use of digital technologies has been a topic of scholarly concern for over two decades, but most studies have been focused on analyzing the use of digital platforms without considering contextual factors of the race, like public opinion polls. Opinion polls are an important information source for citizens and candidates and provide the latter with information that might drive strategic communication. In this article, we explore the relationship between the use of social media in the 2016 US presidential elections and candidates' standing in public opinion polls, focusing on the surfacing and primary stages of the campaign. We use automated content analysis to categorize social media posts from all 21 Republican and Democratic candidates. Results indicate that a candidate's performance in the polls drives certain communicative strategies, such as the use of messages of attacks and advocacy, as well as the focus on personal image.

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Being confronted with an overflowing pile of information or message delivery is nothing new in the digital age. The rapid development of new social media platforms has altered the way political institutions like politicians, political parties, foundations, institutions, and political think tanks handle their election campaigns. Hence, this study seeks to identify the most discussed issues on social media during the election campaign using a systematic review method, taking into account potential articles published from January 2021 to December 2022 on Google Scholar. Variations in the terms used in this research include campaign, election, political institutions, social media, and systematic review. The author's keyword is to reflect the content of a journal that conforms to the desired essence. After the screening process and based on the title and abstract, nine studies met the criteria as per the objective of this research. Results indicate that the most discussed issues are the biographies of the candidates, followed by party ideologies and manifestos. The topics covered in this research aid in the understanding of existing issues in political campaigns. Future research should improve studies on the benefits of social media during election campaigns for both parties, candidates, and voters.

Elite Project Writers, 2022