Social Media and Politics

Daniel C. Hallin, a renowned expert in media systems and political communication, dives deep into the intricacies of digital media and its hybridization. He reveals how historical, cultural, and political factors shape media systems. The discussion covers the impact of technological advancements on media practices, including the influence of the iPhone. Hallin also explores the relationship between media systems and partisanship, emphasizing the need for a historical and comparative approach in media studies.

Kindred Motes, founder of KM Strategies Group, discusses his advocacy work against the harmful narratives of Project 2025. He explains the critical role of Google Search Ads and TikTok in countering misinformation. The conversation dives into the challenges nonprofits face with digital campaigns and how strategic planning is essential for effective communication. Kindred shares practical tips for nonprofits to navigate today's media landscape and emphasizes the importance of reaching diverse audiences to combat extremist threats.

Prof. Sebastian Stier discusses utilizing web browsing data for social science research, including data structure, incentives, and integrating with surveys. Topics include analyzing skewed data distribution, user-centric research, tracking social media behavior, and understanding digital political behavior.

Ryan Davis, Co-Founder of People First, discusses how "micro-influencers" or "micro-creators" are being used in political campaigns. We discuss the benefits of using micro-influencers for engagement, as well as how they can be used to target specific blocks of voters. Ryan also shares how these creators can inform the political strategy of campaigns through panels and focus groups, and how the comments to creators' content can reveal themes and sentiments important for the campaign. Here's a list of resources on micro-influencers written by Ryan and People First: White paper on micro-influencers 2024 election guide on micro-influencersIn-and-outs of influencer outreachAn overview of influencer trends

Dr. Eviane Leidig, Marie Curie postdoctoral fellow at Tilburg University, discusses her book "The Women of the Far Right: Social Media Influencers and Online Radicalization." We break down the role of social media for the alt-right movement, and how platforms like Instagram and YouTube work to mainstream extremist views. These insights come from Dr. Leidig's research conducting digital ethnography on women influencers prominent on the American Right. 

Rhiannon Ruff, Wikipedia Expert and Founding Partner at Lumino, discusses how politicians and brands can effectively manage their Wikipedia presence. We discuss why Wikipedia is important for Google Search and AI like ChatGPT, and how the tone, norms, and editors of Wikipedia make editing your own page difficult. Rhi shares her tips on how to manage a Wikipedia page in the right way, and why that's crucial for politicians and political parties. Here's a list of links discussed in the episode:Rhi's book on Wikipedia and Crisis CommunicationsRhi's column on Why Wikipedia can be a PR Problem for Political CampaignsStanford Internet Observatory Report on Wikipedia and Elections in British ColumbiaA bit more on the infamous Alan MacMasters!

Discussing racism and resistance in the digital age, Dr. Rob Eschmann explores social media's role in unmasking everyday racism. Topics include racial microaggressions, Black Twitter's significance, impact of TikTok, and engaging in conversations to resist racism.

Prof. Kate Dommett and Dr. Simon Kruschinski discuss their new book on data-driven campaigning. They break down findings on data, analytics, targeting, and personnel in five democracies. The chapter explores the concept of data-driven campaigning and its components, the role of analytics, the use of apps in Germany, the role of personnel, and the complexity of data-driven campaigning.

Dr. Andrew W. MacDonald, Assistant Professor of Social Science at Duke Kunshan University, shares research from his new book Directed Digital Dissidence in Autocracies: How China Wins Online. We discuss the Chinese digital and social media context, citizens' perceptions of online propaganda, and how the state manipulates digital information to further its political interests. We also discuss survey methodology, how citizens circumvent the Great Firewall, and what affect using the internet and VPNs has on trust in the state. 

AI advancements in political communication, challenges accessing platform data for research, sustainability trends on social media impacting political orientations, monetization of controversial content on TikTok, Pornhub Insights report on online content consumption, integration of AI in election campaigns, evolution of content creation in social media, EU concerns on disinformation and cybersecurity legislation