Why this?
Political Campaigning’s gone digital big-time lately! Morever, Elections have been a recurring theme in the UPSC- be it the challenges, role of ECI etc. Adding to this layer, is when the themes are cross cutting subject such as this one- Elections X Technology. There is a dearth of sorted content good enough to replicated directly in the answers. We’ve packed this article with insights to help you evaluate the impact, ethics, and challenges of this shift. We have incorporated real-world examples into the discussions to give you a unique perspective that sets your analysis apart. Take a special note of the various regulatory reforms which can be replicated directly in the exams.
GS1:
Indian Society: Globalization and Social Change
Note4Students: Analyze the influence of digital political campaigns on societal structures and voter engagement in a globalized context.
Microtheme: Globalisation
GS2:
Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations: Election and Representation
Note4Students: Explore how digital platforms are transforming electoral processes and enhancing political participation among diverse groups.
Microtheme: Elections
GS3:
Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management: Awareness in IT
Note4Students: Examine the role of technology, such as AI and big data, in shaping political campaigns and influencing voter behavior at a granular level.
Microtheme: Tech solutions for daily challenges
GS4:
Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude: Ethical Concerns in Governance
Note4Students: Understand the ethical implications of digital campaigns, including misinformation and the need for transparency in political advertising.
Microtheme: Applied Ethics
| · Leave.EU was a pro-Brexit political campaign group led by Arron Banks and Andy Wigmore. Active during the 2016 EU referendum, it focused on national sovereignty, immigration, and economic independence. Known for its aggressive rhetoric, social media tactics, and controversy, it played a key role in the Brexit outcome.Digital political campaigns in India:· Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – 2014 and 2019 Elections: The BJP’s use of digital platforms was a game-changer. They employed social media, mobile apps, and digital marketing to engage with voters, with Narendra Modi’s Twitter and Facebook presence playing a key role. The NaMo App also allowed direct interaction with voters.· #MainBhiChowkidar Campaign (2019): The BJP launched the #MainBhiChowkidar campaign, where Prime Minister Modi and his supporters used the phrase on social media to emphasize the government’s role in fighting corruption. It went viral, with thousands adding “Chowkidar” to their Twitter names.· WhatsApp Groups for Grassroots Campaigning: In various elections, political parties have extensively used WhatsApp for direct communication. Targeted messages, rally announcements, and even misinformation were circulated through community groups to influence voter behavior.· Congress Party’s Digital Push (2019): The Indian National Congress ramped up its digital presence for the 2019 elections, led by Rahul Gandhi’s increased social media visibility. The #AbHogaNyay campaign used videos, infographics, and social media outreach to convey their message. |
The Economics of Digital Campaigning
A) Digital Spending Overview
| Political Party | Election Year | Estimated Digital Spending | Key Digital Strategies |
| BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) | 2014 General Elections | ₹150-400 crores | Social media ads, NaMo App, WhatsApp, Twitter, YouTube campaigns |
| 2019 General Elections | ₹500+ crores | #MainBhiChowkidar campaign, personalized outreach via NaMo App, influencer marketing | |
| Indian National Congress | 2019 General Elections | ₹150-200 crores | #AbHogaNyay, social media ads, influencer partnerships, Twitter and Facebook outreach |
| Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) | 2015 Delhi Elections | ₹10-20 crores | Facebook, Twitter campaigns, YouTube ads, grassroots WhatsApp groups |
| 2020 Delhi Elections | ₹20-30 crores | YouTube, Twitter ads, WhatsApp messaging, targeted video campaigns | |
| Samajwadi Party | 2022 UP Elections | ₹5-10 crores | Social media, Twitter campaigns, WhatsApp groups, targeted digital ads |
| Trinamool Congress (TMC) | 2021 West Bengal Elections | ₹10-20 crores | YouTube ads, social media, influencer campaigns, WhatsApp group targeting |
- Shift towards Digital Platform: Conventional publicity tools like flags, billboards, and public meetings made up only a small fraction of parties’ total propaganda spending in the 2023 Karnataka election. This indicates a strategic shift toward digital platforms in electoral strategies.
Key Factors behind this shift
| Category | Details |
| 1. Rising Internet Penetration | India’s Digital Growth: Over 700 million internet users; affordable smartphones and data have made digital platforms the primary communication mode. |
| Youth Engagement: A significant portion of the electorate is young and tech-savvy, ideal for targeting first-time voters. | |
| 2. Cost-effectiveness and Reach | Lower Costs: Digital campaigns are more cost-effective than traditional advertising, offering higher ROI through targeted ads. |
| Wide Reach: Social media platforms allow parties to reach diverse voter demographics; WhatsApp enables grassroots micro-targeting. | |
| 3. Data-driven Campaigning | Targeted Ads: Data analytics helps create highly targeted ads for specific voter groups based on demographics. |
| Personalization: Voter behavior data allows parties to craft personalized content and engage voters directly. | |
| 4. Social Media Dominance | Viral Campaigns: Platforms like Twitter and Facebook are crucial for political discourse, utilizing hashtags and viral videos. |
| Influencer Partnerships: Collaboration with social media influencers amplifies messaging and expands audience reach. | |
| 5. Real-time Feedback and Engagement | Direct Interaction: Social media enables real-time interaction between politicians and voters, facilitating immediate feedback. |
| Live-streaming and Virtual Rallies: Live-streamed events on platforms like YouTube and Facebook became common during elections and crises like COVID-19. | |
| 6. WhatsApp and Messaging Apps | Grassroots Campaigning: WhatsApp is used to disseminate campaign materials and organize volunteer groups at the local level. |
| Micro-targeting: Personalized messaging and real-time mobilization through WhatsApp groups enhance campaign efforts. | |
| 7. Regulatory and Ethical Challenges | Misinformation and Fake News: The digital shift has led to increased misinformation, raising ethical concerns about platform usage. |
| Regulatory Scrutiny: The Election Commission of India monitors digital campaigns, enforcing rules like pre-approval of political ads for transparency. | |
| 8. Future of Political Campaigning | Hybrid Campaigns: Combining traditional methods with digital initiatives is becoming the norm in political campaigning. |
| Artificial Intelligence and Big Data: Parties use AI tools and big data to predict voter behavior and optimize outreach strategies. |
- Micro-targeting Capabilities: Political parties are utilizing micro-targeting to reach specific audiences down to the panchayat level based on location. One party was found to micro-target over 1,700 pin codes in a single advertisement, demonstrating digital platforms’ capacity to shape electoral narratives with precision.
- Rise of Third-Party Campaigners: While major political parties have significant financial power, a less visible force, known as third-party campaigners, operates behind the scenes. Although spending on Google Ads is publicly available, these third-party campaigners work quietly and often go unnoticed, influencing elections without much oversight. A study by Lokniti-CSDS found that 31 third-party campaigners on Meta spent over ₹2,260 lakh in just 90 days leading up to June 29, 2024.
What is the present Issue?
- On Google, political ads generally avoid offensive content, but the spending by third-party groups is limited.
- On Meta, many third-party campaigners are top spenders and often share inflammatory content.
- This inconsistency highlights the need for unified rules across all platforms to manage harmful content and hold tech companies accountable.
IN NEED of REGULATORY REFORMS
| Regulatory Reform | Description | Existing Example |
| Mandatory Disclosure of Ad Spending | Require political parties to disclose digital ad spending in real-time for transparency. | U.S. Federal Election Commission: Requires candidates to report ad spending, including digital platforms. |
| Pre-approval of Political Ads | Social media platforms should enforce pre-approval of political ads to prevent misinformation. | Facebook’s Ad Archive: Political ads must be approved and logged for public viewing. |
| Cap on Digital Campaign Spending | Introduce spending limits on digital campaigns to ensure a level playing field among political parties. | Canada’s Election Act: Limits on total campaign spending, including digital ads. |
| Regulating Micro-targeting | Implement data protection rules and require transparency on how personal data is used for targeting. | EU’s GDPR: Requires consent for data processing and provides rights to individuals regarding their data. |
| Fact-checking Mechanisms | Establish independent fact-checking bodies to verify content and prevent the spread of fake news. | WhatsApp Fact-Checking Initiative: Collaborates with fact-checkers to verify information shared on its platform. |
| 6. Limits on Bulk Messaging | Restrict the use of bulk messaging tools to prevent the mass dissemination of false information. | WhatsApp’s Policy on Bulk Messaging: Limits forwarding messages to curb misinformation during elections. |
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