Has Social Media Made It Easier for the Trumps of the World to Manipulate Us?
From university educated professionals to the uneducated and downright ignorant, social media has given everyone the opportunity to have their voice heard. Platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have allowed people to share information and increase awareness on a wide range of topics including government policies and social movements. The downside to this, however, is that ignorance, bigotry and false information (or “fake news” if you will) can also easily become widespread. Social media increases democratization and agency for those with Internet access, but it does not filter fact from fiction or sensor oppressive and offensive content from being created and shared. It has enabled demagogues like Donald Trump to become president through exaggeration of America’s fears, but social media can equally aid reconcilers like Oprah Winfrey to educate and create peace among the public.
A demagogue is a leader in a democracy who gains popularity by opposing reasoned deliberation and exploiting prejudice and ignorance. Trump is a prime example of a demagogue who has been given the means to spread their agenda through social media due to its inherent nature of circulating posts that we find outrageous, interesting, entertaining or reaffirm our own beliefs and suspicions. The specific rhetoric that makes Trump a demagogue pertains to his denial of climate change, racist and vilifying comments about minorities, anti-immigration sentiments and his white-nationalistic attitude.
Both anti-Trump advocates and those who resonate with his ideas and opinions frequently share posts made by Trump or about him. Those in opposition to him are shocked by his political incorrectness or ignorance and share his messages in order to protest. On the other hand, when people with internal prejudice against minorities and marginalized groups see someone as financially successful and famous as Trump proclaiming the same opinions and fears that they possess, they share Trump related posts to promote his agenda. Regardless of the reason, when people share posts about Trump, they garner attention because he has become a persistent topic of conversation and political references now make frequent appearances in popular culture, such as Saturday Night Live skits.
Social media has further aided Trump’s demagoguery by allowing “fake news” to circulate the Internet. A Stanford University study found that adults living in the United States on average read and remembered at least one “fake news” article regarding the U.S. presidential elections; as well as that exposure to pro-Trump “fake news” was higher than that of pro-Hillary Clinton “fake news.” Since social media is one of the primary sources for sharing “fake news,” it has allowed articles that validate Trump’s prejudiced rhetoric to gain popularity and influence voters. Following the 2016 presidential elections, Facebook’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, commented on the hoaxes regarding the election saying, “We have already launched work enabling our community to flag hoaxes and fake news, and there is more we can do here. We have made progress, and we will continue to work on this to improve further.” The push by social media sites like Facebook to eradicate “fake news” indicates the severity it has on public opinion when demagogues and other extremists post false information.
Efforts using social media to create peace and reconcile the nation by celebrities like Oprah can be just as effective as demagoguery, however. The primary difference is that the audience listening and responding to the posts on social media by reconcilers may be different than the audience listening to Trump’s messages. Online platforms use algorithms that work as filter bubbles because they isolate people into their own ideological bubbles based on what content they’ve searched for in the past. The same people that follow Trump closely are likely not following Oprah to the same extent and vice versa, which means that their own thoughts and values are constantly reiterated to them on social media. Only when events occur that transcend your ideological bubble, such as the 2018 Golden Globes, do people become aware of ideas and opinions beyond what they have already heard a thousand times over. The “Time’s Up” movement, which was primarily organized by democrats, would not have gone beyond the liberal bubble it originated in if it hadn’t been mentioned by Oprah at the Golden Globes in her speech and shared so frequently on social media. Oprah’s speech surpassed filter bubbles as it trended on Twitter, becoming mainstream and resonating with those who would not have normally paid attention to her.
It may appear as though our society has become so entertainment driven, that demagogues like Trump, whose messages spark controversy and interest because of how outlandish they are, are more effective at persuading audiences because they are shared more often. It is important to keep in mind, however, that often when Trump’s posts are shared by individuals and the media, it is for the purpose of making a mockery of him or challenging his ideology. In contrast, posts by liberal reconcilers like Oprah have faced less public scrutiny with the exception of the political far right and conservative media sources, such as Fox or Breitbart News. While social media may be more effective at spreading Trump’s messages to the masses, this does not mean it is more effective at persuading the public than posts by reconcilers.
Social media platforms give demagogues like Donald Trump a voice and the ability to manipulate the public in a faster and greater way, but can just as easily give reconcilers like Oprah the power to protest government policy or to demand peace and justice. Upholding the democracy that we live in, social media ensures that we are not ruled by a totalitarian government or only given access to one set of views on the world. People are more likely to share posts by demagogues that shock or entertain and even spread misinformation through “fake news.” But when protesters use social movements and take time to oppose ignorance and prejudice during events that collect a lot of media coverage, it gives all sides of an issue information that disputes the lies and manipulation coming from a demagogue. It can be confusing and difficult to figure out the truth when the media promotes one set of ideas and your own government is preaching things in great opposition to that, but it simply takes the motivation to look for the truth, reasoning skills and the ability to judge which sources are reliable suppliers of information to determine fact from fiction. We are at an age where it is much easier to rise up against demagoguery by using social media to fight for justice and equality.
