Good article but strategic influencing on social can help change outcomes.
The Russians apparently have put up a lot of FB pages, invented 'movements' with FB pages out of nothing, have agitators posting contentious content all in the hopes that it gets picked up by secondary or mainstream outlets.
They've met with at least some success, though it's doubtful they've changed electoral outcomes.
The issue is that sometimes elections are narrow, and more often, there's a single 'event' or bit of publicity that can overturn momentum of a political group.
In Canada, Trudeau has all but completely disappeared during and time when dozens of aboriginal protesters put up blockades. Same for the Premiere of Ontario. Same for the Ontario and Federal (ie RCMP police) police leaders. Nobody wants to deal with the issue due to the risk of someone blaming them for any violence that happens, or images of RCMP in riot gear with smoke etc. having to physically disarm/dismantled protests.
Cynically, the politicians are right to run for cover because if the public gets angry and blames them, the shift in support would have very material consequences.
So this is one example of an issue, that if perceived the wrong way, could have significant outcomes. Agitators who effectively try to run the narrative might have the ability to swing the outcome.
The Russians apparently have put up a lot of FB pages, invented 'movements' with FB pages out of nothing, have agitators posting contentious content all in the hopes that it gets picked up by secondary or mainstream outlets.
They've met with at least some success, though it's doubtful they've changed electoral outcomes.
The issue is that sometimes elections are narrow, and more often, there's a single 'event' or bit of publicity that can overturn momentum of a political group.
In Canada, Trudeau has all but completely disappeared during and time when dozens of aboriginal protesters put up blockades. Same for the Premiere of Ontario. Same for the Ontario and Federal (ie RCMP police) police leaders. Nobody wants to deal with the issue due to the risk of someone blaming them for any violence that happens, or images of RCMP in riot gear with smoke etc. having to physically disarm/dismantled protests.
Cynically, the politicians are right to run for cover because if the public gets angry and blames them, the shift in support would have very material consequences.
So this is one example of an issue, that if perceived the wrong way, could have significant outcomes. Agitators who effectively try to run the narrative might have the ability to swing the outcome.