Note to Self Deep-Dark-Data-Driven Politics
Mar 29, 2017
Nicholas Confessore, a Politics correspondent for The New York Times, joins Michal Kosinski, a Stanford psychometrics expert, to dive into the murky world of data-driven politics. They discuss the controversial strategies of Cambridge Analytica in the Trump campaign, questioning if personality profiling really swayed voters or if charisma was the true trump card. The conversation raises ethical dilemmas surrounding the manipulation of voter behavior and the fine line between effective persuasion and unethical influence in both politics and marketing.
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Cambridge Analytica's Role
- Cambridge Analytica, an online marketing firm, claimed to influence voters by targeting personalities and emotions.
- They advised both the Brexit campaign and the Trump campaign, raising questions about their role in the election outcomes.
Trump's Win
- The idea that Cambridge Analytica was the main driver behind Trump's win is a myth.
- Trump's success was due to his effective targeting of key voters in specific states.
Cambridge Analytica's Actual Work
- Cambridge Analytica confirmed they did work for the Trump campaign, but their role was primarily data science and digital media buying.
- They did not utilize their psychographic techniques to a significant extent due to time constraints and operational challenges.