News and Research articles on Political micro-targeting

This paper investigates whether it is possible for external publics to detect algorithmic targeting in political advertisements, using the tools provided by the Facebook Ad Library.

Political advertising exposed: tracking Facebook ads in the 2021 Dutch elections

Davide Beraldo, University of Amsterdam
Stefania Milan, University of Amsterdam
Jeroen de Vos, University of Amsterdam
Claudio Agosti, University of Amsterdam
Bruno Nadalic Sotic, University of Amsterdam
Rens Vliegenthart, University of Amsterdam
Sanne Kruikemeier, University of Amsterdam
Lukas P Otto, University of Amsterdam
Susan A. M. Vermeer, University of Amsterdam
Xiaotong Chu, University of Amsterdam
Fabio Votta, University of Amsterdam

PUBLISHED ON: 11 Mar 2021

How can we monitor political ads circulating on social media in the run-up to an election? This essay learns from the project "Analysis of Political Ads in Digital Campaigns”, combining scraping methods and public opinion research to investigate how online advertising shape political preferences in the Dutch general elections (15-17 March 2021). It further reflects on the challenges of studying the impact of political micro-targeting.

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.

WhatsApp and political instability in Brazil: targeted messages and political radicalisation

Rafael Evangelista, State University of Campinas (Unicamp)
Fernanda Bruno, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)
PUBLISHED ON: 31 Dec 2019 DOI: 10.14763/2019.4.1434

This paper analyses the spread of misinformation in the context of 2018 Brazilian elections. We give a general overview of the Brazilian political context, its media ecosystem and the weaponisation of the country’s most popular messaging app, WhatsApp, as a political persuasion tool. The current architecture of the platform does not allow, once appropriated for purposes of election campaigns, users to notice or become aware that they are being monitored and managed.

Political micro-targeting: a Manchurian candidate or just a dark horse?

Balázs Bodó, University of Amsterdam
Natali Helberger, University of Amsterdam
Claes de Vreese, University of Amsterdam
PUBLISHED ON: 31 Dec 2017 DOI: 10.14763/2017.4.776

Political micro-targeting has become a popular topic after the surprise results of the 2016 US presidential election, the UK vote on leaving the European Union, and a number of general elections in Europe in 2017. Yet, we still know little about whether PMT is a tool with destructive potential or if it’s “just” a new phenomenon to be incorporated into our political processes.