Social media in the United States presidential election, 2016

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Social media has exerted an unprecedented influence on the 2016 United States presidential election, driving, rather than merely following, developments in the Republican and Democratic presidential primaries.[1]

Background

As the campaign began, analysts assumed that, because of the increased reach and capacity of social media sites of all kinds since the last election cycle, social media would be used in potentially powerful new ways. The Wall Street Journal predicted that the use of campaign advertisements targeted at individuals using newly available data would be among the more notable innovations.[2]

However, traditional media sites are also decrying the use of Social Media during elections and suggest that the increased use of bots is increasing polarization among citizens and leading to a rise in undesirable speech.[3]

Presidential election

The political newspaper, The Hill, concluded not only that "[s]ocial media's influence in this presidential election is stronger than it has ever been," but that it "will shape campaigns for years to come."[4] According to The Wall Street Journal, the "traditional media" and the Democratic and Republican parties have lost "dominance" of public opinion to the "digital revolution."[5]

Frank Speiser, co-founder of SocialFlow, said, "This is the first true social media election." He added that before the 2016 presidential primaries, social media were a mere "auxiliary method of communication," but in this new era, "folks on social media to act on your behalf by just sharing it around. You don't have to buy access to reach millions of people anymore." According to Republican political strategist Patrick Ruffini, in the 2012 election cycle, candidates would make short statements, and re-tweet or thank followers.[4]

The Guardian compared Internet memes to political cartoons, arguing, "For the first time in a US election cycle, community-generated memes have grown to play a significant role in political discourse, similar to the classic printed cartoon." While an Internet meme is unlikely to destroy a political career, lots of memes targeting a candidate might.[6]

Donald Trump campaign

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Main article: Donald Trump presidential campaign, 2016

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See also: Act of Love (political statement and advertisement) and Make America Great Again

The Trump presidential campaign benefited from large numbers of supporters who were active on social media from the beginning of the campaign.

In the first Republican Presidential debate, held on August 6, 2015, the moderator asked candidate Jeb Bush if he stood by a statement made the previous April that illegal entry into the U.S. by undocumented migrants is "an act of love."[7] Bush replied that he did and the Trump campaign immediately posted his comment as part of a video showing mugshots of illegal immigrants who committed violent crimes in the U.S., alternating with footage of Bush saying, "Yeah, they broke the law, but it's not a felony.... It's an act of love."[8][9]

According to Eric Fehrnstrom, political analyst and media strategist, the video marked a crucial turning point in the campaign for the Republican nomination.[7] Political analyst Michael Barone regarded the ad as a key moment in Trump's political rise.[10]

The San Francisco Chronicle described the ad as pivotal in transforming Instagram from a personal photo-sharing app that some celebrities and politicians used to enhance their images, into a propaganda tool.[11]

Right Side Broadcasting Network frequently uploads live streams of Donald Trump rallies on YouTube. As of September 2016, the channel has received over 210 thousand subscribers, exceeding the subscribers of MSNBC's YouTube channel.[12]

On Reddit, /r/The_Donald is a pro-Trump subforum (termed a subreddit on Reddit) which ranks consistently as the most active on the site.[13][14] Due to the very active community that outpaced the rest of the website, the algorithm that dictated what content reached the "/r/all" page of the website resulted in the significant portion of the page being /r/The_Donald content. In response, Reddit made changes to its algorithms on June 15 in an attempt to preserve variety of /r/all.[15] On July 27, 2016, Trump participated in an Ask Me Anything (AMA) on /r/The_Donald, answering thirteen questions from his supporters.[16]

Hillary Clinton campaign

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Main article: Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, 2016

In April 2016, Correct the Record, a pro-Clinton super PAC, announced a program called "Barrier Breakers" intended to rival the largely online volunteer efforts of Sanders and Trump supporters. With $1 million in funding, Correct the Record employed paid staff described as "former reporters, bloggers, public affairs specialists, designers" to post "exclusively positive content."[17]

On June 9, 2016, as a response to Donald Trump's tweet regarding Obama's endorsement to Clinton, she wrote with a three word tweet: "Delete your account". This tweet has become her most retweeted tweet of all time.[18][19]

By the end of the June, 2016, this most retweeted tweet of all time surpassed 1,000,000 interactions.[20]

Gary Johnson campaign

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Main article: Gary Johnson presidential campaign, 2016

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See also: Balanced Rebellion

The humorous Balanced Rebellion video in which "Dead Abe Lincoln" endorses Johnson has been the most widely viewed viral video of any candidate the 2016 campaign.[21]

Other Candidates

Bernie Sanders campaign

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Main article: Bernie Sanders presidential campaign, 2016

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See also: America (advertisement), Bernie or Bust, Bernie Bro, Bernie Sanders' Dank Meme Stash, and Bernie or Hillary?

Social media is widely acknowledged to have played a crucial role in the Bernie Sanders presidential campaign. As of May 2016, 450,000 people belong to the Facebook group Bernie Sanders' Dank Meme Stash, one of the several online groups supporting Sanders. Bernie Sanders' Dank Meme Stash was devoted to creating and circulating memes "skewering" rival candidates Ted Cruz, Donald Trump, and Hillary Clinton. Another group, Bernie or Hillary?, is dedicated to creating mock-campaign posters comparing Sanders to Clinton.[6]

Sanders supporters who succeeded in closing down a planned Trump rally in Chicago in March 2016 were organized via Facebook.[22]

Ted Cruz campaign

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Main article: Ted Cruz presidential campaign, 2016

According to The Guardian, Cruz was "skewered by social media memes". His run for the Presidency was ended by a series of memes, including a viral video of an unusually awkward attempt to shake hands with his running mate Carly Fiorina, which was edited to emphasize his awkwardness in reality. The video was viewed 3.5 million times online. In addition, a mock-conspiracy theory faux-asserting that Cruz was actually the Zodiac Killer, an unidentified serial killer active in northern California from the late 1960s to the early 1970s.[6]

See also

References

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