Social Media And Our Local Celina Texas Elections

By Brian Bender

Guest Contribution 

Back in 2013, I graduated with a Masters in Interactive Media from Quinnipiac University. As part of my program, a majority of my courses focused on social media and the use of new technologies both privately and in civic engagement. I tell you this so that you can understand that I come from a position of both experience and education.

So buckle up Celina. Anytime you bring up religion or politics, you are bound to ruffle some feathers. Just know I come in peace.

In recent years, social media has brought about a profound shift in the way people consume information and engage in political debate not just at the national level, but even right here at home in Celina.  Social media has been our main source of news in town covering topics like lost pets, road closures, new businesses, and the occasional loose cow.

Additionally, we use our local Facebook groups as an effective tool for running local political campaigns. But here’s something to consider– the effect of social media on our local elections may operate both for and against candidates. While technology has the potential to increase political debate and voter involvement, it also has the capacity to spread disinformation, reinforce existing biases and oversaturate our news feeds with content that is repeated over and over again by the same source.

When it comes to the impact of social media on local elections, one of the key worries is obviously the spread of misinformation, which is defined as the deliberate spreading of erroneous information with the objective of deceiving people. According to the findings of a study conducted by the Oxford Internet Institute during the 2016 presidential election in the United States, false information spread faster and broader on Twitter than true news. This not only calls the validity of news sources into doubt, but it also has the potential to sway public opinion and influence election results. This is especially concerning in local elections, where voters may have limited access to trustworthy information and rely exclusively on social media for news and information. It’s even more concerning in small towns like ours, where the community is much closer knit and the impact of misinformation can have a greater effect.

Misinformation can spread through the use of automated accounts known as bots, which can artificially magnify certain messages and create the illusion of broad agreement when there is none. For example, a bot may propagate inaccurate information about a candidate's program or track record, creating the appearance that most people agree with it despite the fact that it is incorrect. This can lead to voters making intelligent decisions based on incorrect information, which can have serious consequences for the election's outcome.

Now, let me say I do not think there are bots being deployed against us here in our community, but there are various fake profiles that have been used to stir up trouble for a few candidates. Most of those profiles, once discovered, are blocked by Group moderators, but the occasional one still gets through. These fake profiles are created by people who wish to promote one candidate or another, create division within the community, and generally cause trouble. Like a bot, they can create the appearance of widespread support when there is very little. Luckily, they’re pretty easy to spot- a profile picture that is not of a real person, a profile name that no one has heard of, and that all too obvious profile creation date of just a few days ago.

Another thing to be wary of on social media platforms is the obvious sycophancy, often known as unquestioning support for political individuals, agendas, or popular ‘topics of the week.’ Social media platforms' algorithms have a propensity to reinforce previously held beliefs and attitudes, resulting in an "echo chamber" in which users only get material that reinforces their existing points of view. Candidates may find it easier to sway public opinion and get support from voters who are not fully informed about the problems at hand as a consequence.

Now, the sycophancy, or to put it bluntly- brown-nosing– doesn’t just have to be blind support for one particular candidate, it can also be an excessive support for a candidate(s) or a popular agenda. Sharing over and over the same post and articles on several pages and groups by the same person in the same manner may indicate this type of behavior. The same person(s) to be the first to ‘Like’ or comment on anything pro-city, pro-community is another indicator. It is obvious when people post, “Like’, and share the same information over and over again, that they may not be doing it out of genuine interest, but as a way to say: “Look at me, I am in full support of everything and anything that will make people vote for me.”

This tactic can prevent other candidates from getting their messages out because they don’t want to be seen as posting just because the other guy did. It’s almost like not wanting to cry wolf because the other guy has shouted it so many times that no one will believe either one. Now, the candidate who does overpost may see this as a win, but this mentality can be dangerous for anyone who practices it. Not only does it hurt their credibility but it also can be dangerous for the community as a whole because it may mislead others into believing that the person over posting or the candidate themselves are well-informed and truly concerned.

It’s not all fake and fear mongering. The use of social media, however, has the potential to increase voter turnout in municipal elections. People may be encouraged to learn more about the issues and participate in meaningful conversation by using social media platforms, which give a forum for political dialogue. Using social media can also help attract voters who wouldn't otherwise get involved. Social media, for example, may be used to organize campaigns, sell events, and provide information about candidates and the platforms on which they run.

That being said, it's really important to be aware of the risks it can pose during local elections. To reduce the problems connected with these potential consequences, voters must fact-check information they get on social media, and seek out multiple sources of information. Heck, why not try going to the source itself?  Help fight the spread of disinformation by calling out the usage of fake profiles and ask the moderators to block and ban content that has been found to be fake or misleading. (Granted that may be hard when a candidate is a moderator themselves, but don’t let that stop you from doing the right thing)

Basically, social media has a mixed impact on municipal election outcomes. As much as technology can increase political debate and voter participation, it tends to spread disinformation and reinforce existing biases. For social media platforms to be useful in local elections, voters need to be informed and critical consumers of information. Sometimes that might mean actually stepping out from behind the keyboard and talking face to face. The best way to make sure social media doesn't undermine the democratic process is to make sure we're aware of the upsides and downsides of it. If we all make the effort to do so, we can avoid major problems and ensure that the technology actually benefits the local elections. So Celina, see you on the ‘book of Face’ and, hopefully, at the polls in May!

Brian Bender

briancbender78@gmail.com