DATA AND POLITICS
Data-Driven Politics: How Ads, Media & Shrewd Micro-Targeting Change Elections
By Mungai Charles
Facebook needs politics, and politics needs Facebook. Quid pro quo. But this is not a story about Facebook, nor is it about Cambridge Analytica. This is about how politics is leveraging the power of data, and how Kenyan politics could adapt this international playbook. Here-under are key lessons, some of which I learned from Stefan Turkheimer an Attorney and Political Strategist, who was Former Deputy Political Director for Elizabeth Warren ' s Presidential Campaign, during a recent webinar I was part of.
The Role Of Finance In Politics
With a haul of $ 796.8 million in political Ads spent during the 2019 / 2020 election cycle to date in the US alone, at 59.4 % share among political advertisers, Facebook is the dominant digital platform for political ads. This dwarfs Google ' s $ 243.7 million, who come at a distant No. 2,( 18.2 % share) at a ratio of 3 to 1.
Despite the Election Financing laws, which spell out spending limits for political campaigns, the Digital game makes this a lot harder to monitor or track even in the US where there are very tough election donation laws. Candidates and / or Ideal affiliated groupings are now fundraising and outspending other candidates ' teams in Digital ad spent. In Kenya, this may not be relevant because of the blatant disregard or abuse of the laws.
Of note, though, is the levelling power these digital platforms bring to what was expensive political campaigns. As an incumbent, you had a splitting advantage over your opponents in terms of branding, the establishment, access to finances and the media. With Digital if you have an innovative and efficient opponent they
Social Media is the modern day word-ofmouth, we don ' t tell people things anymore; we read and see them online. And none else understands the power of this dynamic as our politicians. In my mother tongue, the term ' politician ' loosely translates to " one who complains " or " makes an argument ". It ' s all about the power of your mind and your mouth. can negate your advantage in a snap.
Leveraging Data For An Advantage
Imagine a system which most of the people in the world are in, sharing about their lives and key events happening such as birthdays, deaths, weddings or anniversaries. Where they live, their family, when they were born, their ages. Their relationship status; are they married, single or widowed. What languages they speak, their educational qualifications, their ethnic affinity, if they are parents and in the US, their political affiliation.
The things that Interest them such as; business, are they farmers or are they small business owners? Their health and fitness, are they a community of youthful people who like to go jogging early in the morning or a community of old people who prefer to take walks in the evening?
Their food and drink, are they people who prefer to eat out in restaurants with friends or people who only meet up in the evening for their favorite alcoholic beverage. Their hobbies and activities are they people who like to support their local football team or meeting at the town hall to discuss local politics and events? Their entertainment preferences; are they into watching movies at the theatre or into listening to their favorite local band which has released a hit song topping national music charts?
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