Social media warning over council elections

A TECH expert has warned of the dangers of social media being used as a “digital weapon” during election campaigns, as Geelong and the Surf Coast’s local council elections draw to a close.

Electoral advertising on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter needed to be better regulated to ensure it wasn’t being used to share harmful information, CQ

University information systems socio-technological expert Dr Ritesh Chugh said.

“The use of social media in everyday lives influences citizens’ knowledge of the electoral process and importantly creates an awareness of the contesting candidates,” Dr Chugh said.

“It is indubitably a vital tool in the entire electoral process, but it should not become a digital weapon.

“Social media has its inherent drawbacks. It can become a vehicle for spreading disinformation (intentional false information), misinformation (unintentional false information) and malinformation (accurate information but used for nefarious reasons); bullying and harassment; trolling and spreading hateful information.”

Dr Chugh’s warning came amid a strong social media presence from council election candidate during the 2020 election, with COVID-19 restrictions forcing them to use modern tools to win votes.

But candidates in Geelong and on the Surf Coast have also regularly used social media to share information about rival candidates, accusing them and their connections of “porky pies”, “abuse” and “bullying”.

Kardinia Ward candidates Ron Nelson and Jack Williams engaged in an online spat over the removal and placement of corflutes, spanning multiple Facebook posts and accusations Mr Nelson had shown up at the homes of multiple candidates.

With local council elections in full swing in Victoria, Dr Chugh said it was time to review social media rules and regulations.

“Regulation of the content of social media advertisements should be aligned with the norms of other political advertising,” he said.