News and Research articles on Micro-targeting

Volume 8, Issue 4

Data-driven elections: implications and challenges for democratic societies

Colin J. Bennett, University of Victoria
David Lyon, Queen's University
PUBLISHED ON: 31 Dec 2019 DOI: 10.14763/2019.4.1433

In the wake of the Facebook/Cambridge Analytica scandal, it is timely to review the state of the debate about the impact of data-driven elections and to identify key questions that require academic research and regulatory response. The papers in this collection, by some of the world’s most prominent elections researchers, offer that assessment.

KEYWORDS: Micro-targeting, Political behavourial targeting, Political micro-targeting, Surveillance, Big data, Social media platforms
Volume 8, Issue 4

Data-driven political campaigns in practice: understanding and regulating diverse data-driven campaigns

Katharine Dommett, University of Sheffield
PUBLISHED ON: 31 Dec 2019 DOI: 10.14763/2019.4.1432

Discussing three factors that characterise the activities of political campaigners, this article demonstrates variations in who is using data in campaigns, what the sources of campaign data are, and how data informs communication.

KEYWORDS: Data-driven campaigning, Micro-targeting, Regulation, Elections, Democracy
Volume 8, Issue 4

Voter preferences, voter manipulation, voter analytics: policy options for less surveillance and more autonomy

Jacquelyn Burkell, The University of Western Ontario
Priscilla M. Regan, George Mason University
PUBLISHED ON: 31 Dec 2019 DOI: 10.14763/2019.4.1438

Personalised political messaging undermines voter autonomy and the electoral process. Use of voter analytics for political communication must be regulated.

KEYWORDS: Political autonomy, Micro-targeting, Privacy, Surveillance, Voting behaviour
Democracy

Towards a holistic perspective on personal data and the data-driven election paradigm

Varoon Bashyakarla, Tactical Tech

PUBLISHED ON: 31 Dec 2019

Focusing on whether data-intensive technologies used in political campaigning are accurate and effective misses the point about their larger role in politics. This piece briefly addresses the popular question of “Does it work?” and suggests a series of questions and provocations that aim to more holistically capture the extent of tech-led disruption in a time of creeping voter surveillance.   

Volume 8, Issue 4

Platform ad archives: promises and pitfalls

Paddy Leerssen, University of Amsterdam
Jef Ausloos, University of Amsterdam
Brahim Zarouali, University of Amsterdam
Natali Helberger, University of Amsterdam
Claes de Vreese, University of Amsterdam
PUBLISHED ON: 9 Oct 2019 DOI: 10.14763/2019.4.1421

Ad archives are a novel tool in online advertising governance. They promise significant benefits, but only if their operators address key criticisms.

KEYWORDS: Advertising, Micro-targeting, Platforms, Transparency, Politics
Volume 6, Issue 4

WhatsApp in Brazil: mobilising voters through door-to-door and personal messages

Mauricio Moura, The George Washington University
Melissa R. Michelson, Menlo College
PUBLISHED ON: 31 Dec 2017 DOI: 10.14763/2017.4.775

The Brazilian 2014 elections were the first to heavily apply Whatsapp as a micro-targeting tool. This paper aims to test the effectiveness of Whatsapp compared to more traditional approaches. First, we find that short videos delivered via WhatsApp are a powerful method of increasing turnout among teen voters. Second, we add Brazil to the list of countries in which the traditional method of door-to-door canvassing has been proven a powerful method of mobilising voters.

KEYWORDS: WhatsApp, Micro-targeting, Turnout, Door-to-door, Mobillisation