How often have you heard a ‘coconut tree’ mashup of Kamala Harris’ voice within the last two weeks? Exactly. Virality is power this election season. Social media is playing a huge role in elevating the likeness of politicians, but don’t just take our word for it. The Princeton Journal published a paper confirming that Trump’s presence on X (formally Twitter) lowered his vote share as people accused him of misinformation and inappropriate speech in former election seasons. Social media is shaping democracy. Every viral explanatory carousel persuades a voter, an opinion piece on a candidate, or mashup that makes a politician personable or intolerable.
“Social media, specifically in terms of election priorities, is more reputational. ‘Who can I trust will understand my issues and care?’ says Aundrea Cline-Thomas, award-winning journalist and founder of Mountain Court Media. Portrayal to be a trustworthy and relatable candidate is a priority on the campaign trail. Voters are looking for a candidate they admire and have confidence in. Their likeness is not a political issue ‘election priority,’ but it sure is a determining factor at the ballot box.
Your retweets, reposts, and edits will not just determine who will govern you but what they’ll focus on as they govern you. Election priorities, the most important issues to voters, shift every election season depending on what’s on voters’ minds. Social media amplifies and reinforces problems; as those topics grow in popularity, they become pressing issues on the internet, then on the campaign trail. “It [social media] helps campaigns keep the pulse of what matters the most,” says Cline-Thomas. Statements and answers on a particular issue come from our elected officials after questions, comments, and concerns overwhelm the internet. Our political leaders can’t avoid addressing issues that blow up on the web. Everyone is watching and waiting for a response. “That’s how they are held accountable by their constituents,” Cline-Thomas emphasizes.
Let’s take the memes about inflation as an example of how content shapes election priorities. Scrolling through them feels like ‘laughing to keep from crying’, so they go viral, producing more inflation content. But It’s funny until it’s not, and though people are cracking jokes, it is just a reflection of how genuinely frustrated people are with the economy. The skyrocketing cost of living is horrifically affecting many people’s day-to-day lives. And not to our surprise, a study shows that inflation is the priority for Gen Z and Millennial voters. What happened as a response? The first policy plan that Kamala Harris has laid out since joining the presidential race is her economic vision. Before her announcement, Donald Trump lured voters on the premise that ‘the economy was better when he was in office.’ Social media is a vortex of thoughts, and politicians tap into it to see how they can appeal to voters. These topics are amplified through constant content being produced about them.
Another example of how social media shapes election priorities is that foreign policy is now a ballot breaker. Foreign policy has seldom been a priority, especially when no conflict puts United States soil directly at risk. The fact that the Israel/Hamas conflict is a top priority among Gen Z and Millennial voters speaks to the power of content. Journalists, those in academia, and natives of the land where the conflict is, provided background on the issue and kept the internet informed. The truth led to uproar, and our elected officials were pressured to take a stand. The voices of credible sources on the internet shed light on a grueling issue that could’ve gone unnoticed without the power of social media. “I’m glad those people [credible sources] exist. And there needs to be more. It needs to be easier for context and facts to pierce through the noise,” says Cline-Thomas. Platforming experts is changing the news and information being consumed. Their expertise is influencing the masses on what to prioritize. This, once again, shows how social media shifts election priorities.
At least 84 percent of people aged 18-29 use one social media platform. Zillenials are avid consumers of content. “Attention is the highest form of currency today,” Cline-Thomas concludes, and politicians know that for a fact. The twiddling of thumbs powers voter persuasion. It’s strange to think that those in previous generations had to turn on the news or attend an event to learn more about presidential candidates. Now, content creators curate recaps, and that’s how the public is persuaded on who to vote for. And the issues amplified by thought leaders and influencers on social media determine what will be important to the person we vote for. When people say social media shapes democracy, this is what they mean.
About the Author: Shelby Denise Smith is a Social Media Editor and Freelance Writer. She’s passionate about lifestyle, wellness, travel, and culture. Smith enjoys packaging the insight she receives into stories that can positively impact the livelihood of others.