The Promises and Negative Implications of Micro-targeting and Big Data Analytics

Micro-Targeting and the Use of Big Data
Student Name
Institutional Affiliation
Date
Micro-Targeting and the Use of Big Data
Introduction
Political parties and candidates recognize the need for personalized communication to persuade voters in their favor. The emergence of technologies that allow for the profiling of target voters has allowed political parties and candidates to push personalized messages to individual voters. Digital technology has altered how individuals access information, communicate, collaborate, and participate in political processes (Milakovich, 2010). Political parties and candidates have recognized the importance of an online presence and social media. The use of data and social media has become embedded in the political area. Data has become an essential tool in the politician’s electoral kit, and campaigners are increasingly developing mechanisms to take advantage of the development. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp have allowed individuals who share common political interests to unite and mobilize for support. The Internet has become a powerful catalyst for political participation since it allows individuals to participate in small ways towards more significant movements (Neudert & Marchal, 2019). Among other approaches, political campaigns use micro-targeting and big data to influence the outcomes of an election. While micro-targeting and big data are effective in contemporary political public relations and campaigners, they raise serious issues adversely affecting the democratic process.
Big Data and Micro-targeting
Big data refers to large data sets that can be analyzed computationally to bring out patterns and associations that can reveal human behavior and interactions. The data is complex and impossible to process using the traditional approaches. However, information can be mined from big data to assist in making critical decisions. Modern campaigns have databases that have information about the voters. The data is used to inform strategy and guide in making tactical decisions that can influence voters in particular desirable decisions. Parties are increasingly using big data on voters and aggregating it into datasets that can be used to drive campaigns. Campaign data analysts use the data to develop models that create individual-level predictions about how voters are likely to behave and support particular outcomes (Nickerson & Rogers, 2014). The analysis of the big data and the subsequent targeting of individual voters has facilitated the idea of micro-targeting.
Micro-targeting aims to influence voters by directly transmitting stimuli created from an individual’s preferences and characteristics. The data can be collected manually or through data mining. Social media has been vital in facilitating micro-targeting. For instance, when users sign up for Facebook, they supply the social network with basic biodata like name, gender, and date of birth. Facebook associates the data provided with a picture and common data about the individual like religion, residence, and political views (Barbu, 2014). The individual parts work towards creating a large targeting database. Setting up a profile with a social network like Facebook allows the company to collect, store, and use the information for targeted adverts. For instance, a Facebook ad will be customized to ensure that it reaches individuals with shared interests and possibly in the same geographical location where the particular product or service is offered. Through targeting, an ad is placed where it speaks to the interests and preferences of the target group (Barbu, 2014). Using algorithms, political actors can identify different subgroups of voters that have similar attitudinal traits. The campaigners can generate messages that are meant to influence specific subgroups or individuals. The move can result in mobilization or demobilization of the particular group (Papakyriakopoulos et al., 2018).
Democracy and Technology
According to Dunn (1995), democracy derives its power and appeal from the idea of autonomy, where individuals choose freely for themselves. In a democratic setting, citizens express their interests and choices through the voting process. Here, they have an opportunity to elect representatives or exercise their will directly through a referendum. Democracy rests on free and fair elections (Garrett, 2019). Voters need to be accorded the ability to make their choices without any interference. Autonomous decision-making in the voting process is accorded as privacy protection when citizens cast their votes. Secret ballots are meant to ensure that individuals are free to choose their candidates without anyone questioning their choice (Witzleb & Paterson, 2020). Ensuring privacy in the communication of political messages has been seen as complementary in the political arena.
In the US, the loose legal framework is the success of micro-targeting and the use of big data analytics in political campaigns. Political actors are free to create and use databases that have personal information. For instance, the reuse of data that was obtained as a byproduct of offering services remains unregulated. Hence, the legal inconsistencies permit political to continue exploiting databases with personal information for political campaigning. Micro-targeting allows the creation of customized ads to reach individual voters. The ads tackle essence issues to the person, using a format and language that the particular person requires. The recipients of such ads are likely to act on them, which is the ultimate aim of the political campaigners.
The Promises of Micro-targeting and Big Data Analytics
The use of big data analytics and micro-targeting could increase political participation and strengthen democracy (Zuiderveen et al., 2018). Typically, traditional media like TV, radio, and newspapers urge citizens to participate in elections. Social media also passes critical information to users, ensuring that individuals participate in political issues, strengthening democracy. Citizens can be mobilized to register as voters, cast their votes, and attend political forums. Media increases the political knowledge of the citizens and helps them in making informed decisions. When big data analytics and micro-targeting come in, it amplifies the participation process (Zuiderveen et al., 2018). Micro-targeting enables adverts that are relevant to the citizens. Voters get communication about things they care about, which enables them to take an interest in the democratic processes. While traditional media like TV and radio are meant for the mass audience, not everyone is interested in the ads. Targeted ads focus on a specific population and address issues that the particular population cares about. Since the information is more relevant, citizens connect with the message and act on it accordingly. Additionally, targeted advertising can assist in reaching i...