Algorithms & Elections
How Google & Facebook Can Manipulate Election Results
The idea of election manipulation has been circulating in the media for a few years now. Their focus seems to be aimed at nefarious foreign actors trying to influence a domestic vote. While this is a problem, there appears to be something missing.
If foreign actors can manipulate local elections, what about domestic actors? In particular, what about the organizations that control the information we see every day? If a Google or Facebook wanted to manipulate an election result or push voters in a certain direction, couldn’t that be more damaging than foreign intervention?
Our focus on manipulation from abroad is well founded, however there are possible nefarious actors right within our borders who should be examined as well. According to a 2018 article in Business Insider, Google has a 90% market share on U.S. internet searches. A Pew research study found nearly 50% of Americans get news through Facebook.
What if these gatekeepers of our data and social media decided to manipulate us to vote one way or another? A good deal of research has been done that shows exactly how much Google and Facebook could turn a voter’s will. According to at least one data scientist, this is their plan for the present and future.
