How do political influencers amplify divisive content for votes?

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Political Influencers Amplify Divisive Content Through Coordinated Campaigns for Votes

Political influencers, alongside marketing agencies and paid cybertroopers, systematically weaponise emotions such as anger and fear to achieve virality and secure votes. This strategy involves leveraging multi-million-ringgit political budgets and employing tech algorithms to boost false narratives that foster animosity between different groups of people. The investigative video "Bad Influence" by The Fourth exposed these underlying mechanisms by posing as political aides, revealing how these entities actively promote divisive content.
Systematic Weaponisation of Emotions

The core of this amplification strategy lies in the deliberate manipulation of public sentiment. By focusing on issues that provoke anger, fear, and polarisation, these groups aim to create content that is highly shareable and emotionally resonant. This approach is designed to capture attention and generate engagement, which are crucial for achieving virality in the online space. The ultimate goal is to translate this online engagement into electoral support.
Role of Financial and Technological Resources

Significant financial resources are channelled into these operations, with multi-million-ringgit political budgets dedicated to funding these campaigns. These budgets likely cover the costs associated with marketing agencies, cybertroopers, and influencer collaborations. Furthermore, the strategic use of tech algorithms is instrumental in ensuring that false or divisive stories reach a wider audience. These algorithms are often optimised to prioritise engagement, inadvertently amplifying sensational and emotionally charged content.
Amplification of False Narratives

The objective is to boost false stories that create a sense of "othering," encouraging the general populace to develop negative feelings towards specific groups. This tactic exploits existing societal fault lines and prejudices to create a narrative of division. The effectiveness of this strategy is underscored by the reported increase in takedown requests for "race, religion and royalty" content, which surged dramatically from 197 in 2022 to 7,648 by 2024, indicating a significant rise in online provocation.
Influence of Political Figures and Parties

The efforts of influencers and cybertroopers are often complemented by pronouncements from political figures and parties. Statements from leaders, such as calls for voters to support candidates based on race or religion, or accusations against non-Muslims, contribute to the divisive atmosphere. This convergence of messaging between political actors and online amplification networks creates a powerful synergy that can significantly impact public discourse and electoral outcomes.

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How do political influencers amplify divisive content for votes?

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