Podcast Summary
Digital Advertising in Elections: Over £5.5M spent on political ads across Meta and Google since May 22nd, equating to 10-20k ads and 600M opportunities to see them. Parties target specific seats, investing in digital ads as a more effective alternative to traditional methods.
Key takeaway from this episode of Page 94 is the significant shift towards digital advertising in elections, with the 2022 UK election being the fifth social media election and the first AI disinformation-fueled one. According to the discussion, over £5.5 million has been spent on political advertising across Meta and Google platforms since May 22nd, equating to around 10-20,000 individual adverts and approximately 600 million opportunities for someone to have seen a political ad. Parties are increasingly targeting specific constituencies with their ads, with the Greens and Reform focusing on their target seats, and the Conservatives also joining in. While it's unclear whether this spending moves the needle in terms of election outcomes, parties seem to be investing in digital ads as a more effective and measurable alternative to traditional advertising methods. However, the sheer volume of ads and lack of transparency from the platforms make it challenging to gain a clear understanding of the content, targeting, and messaging of these ads.
Political advertising regulation on social media: During UK elections, social media political ads lack regulation, allowing potentially misleading or false claims to spread without fact-checking or removal, leading to potential manipulation and misinformation
Political advertising during elections on social media platforms like Facebook is currently unregulated in the UK, allowing for potentially misleading or false claims to be spread without any pushback. This was discussed in relation to the ongoing UK election, where both the Conservative and Labour parties are using fear-mongering tactics in their ads, with the Conservatives focusing on being scared of various things, including taxes and immigration, while Labour is peddling the change message. The lack of regulation means that there is no mechanism in place to fact-check or remove misleading ads, making it difficult for the public and journalists to get an accurate understanding of the aggregate collection of ads being run. This leaves room for significant manipulation and misinformation. The responsibility for regulating the content of these ads could potentially lie with those who put them out or the publishers/platforms themselves, but as it stands, there is no system in place for this.
Conservatives and Gambling Industry: The Conservatives' close ties to the gambling industry have raised concerns about potential corruption and influence, with numerous instances of MPs receiving gifts and freebies, and delays in implementing regulations to protect individuals from gambling harms.
The relationship between political parties, particularly the Conservatives, and the gambling industry in the UK has been a topic of concern for some time. There have been numerous instances of MPs receiving gifts and freebies from the betting and gaming council, and the delay in implementing regulations to protect individuals from potential harms caused by gambling. The Conservatives have been criticized for their close ties to the gambling industry, which has raised questions about potential corruption and influence. The party's approach to gambling can be seen as a metaphor for their overall approach to governance - taking one last, risky bet despite the potential consequences. The role of lobbying agencies in facilitating this relationship is also worth noting, as many have turned to the gambling industry as a way to make up for lost revenue from no longer being able to represent socially unacceptable industries like fossil fuels. The issue of transparency and the extent of payments made to lobbying companies for access to politicians is an important question that needs to be addressed.
Politicians and Gambling Industry Donations: Political donations from the gambling industry raise ethical concerns and can potentially influence policies related to gambling regulations.
The relationship between politicians and gambling industry donations raises ethical concerns, as large sums of money are being paid to support political offices, potentially influencing policies related to gambling regulations. The discussion highlighted the case of Rachel Reeves, a potential future Chancellor, who has received significant donations from Neil Gilden, a gambling industry figure. The affordability checks for online gambling, which are still being debated, serve as an ongoing example of the political debates and the involvement of the gambling industry. Furthermore, the sudden shift in the Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph's stance on tactical voting to keep the Tories in power, despite their previous criticisms of the party, underscores the potential impact of these donations on political agendas.
British Politics, Media Influence: Nigel Farage's controversial BBC Panorama interview sparked intense media scrutiny, potential legal action, and controversy over Reform Party candidates' statements, highlighting the volatility and influence of British politics and media.
The British political landscape has been shaken up by unexpected developments, specifically Nigel Farage's controversial interview on BBC Panorama regarding the Ukraine war and NATO expansion. This interview led to intense criticism from the Daily Mail, resulting in a potential court case and threats. The media's response, including the Telegraph's coverage, has been described as schizophrenic and desperate to influence public opinion. Additionally, the Reform Party, which Farage is associated with, has faced scrutiny due to the discovery of controversial statements made by some of its candidates. Overall, this situation highlights the intensity and volatility of British politics, with the media playing a significant role in shaping public discourse.
Political parties' vetting process: Misunderstanding of vetting services and inadequate candidate screening by political parties can lead to unsuitable candidates being selected
The Reform Party's vetting process for their election candidates was found to be inadequate, leading to several unsuitable candidates being selected. This issue is not new and has happened frequently with other political parties in the past. The vetting company in question is not a traditional vetting agency but rather a platform that enables users to vet candidates themselves. The Reform Party appears to have misunderstood the service they were paying for, leading to the controversy. In American journalism, there is a different approach to newspaper ownership compared to the UK. In the US, it is more commonly believed that newspaper ownership should be a selfless and altruistic pursuit, with owners not imposing their will on the editorial side. However, in practice, this is not always the case. Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, is an example of a wealthy individual who owns a newspaper (The Washington Post) but faces challenges in maintaining a clear separation between ownership and editorial control.
Washington Post's new focus on young audience: The Washington Post aims to create a new newsroom focused on young people and pivot to video content to adapt to financial challenges, but it's unclear what will resonate with this demographic and many in media are hesitant due to past experiences.
The Washington Post, under the leadership of Will Lewis, is facing financial challenges due to decreased traffic and losses since the end of the Trump era. Jeff Bezos, the owner, wants the Post to operate as a business and not just a philanthropic endeavor. To adapt, Lewis plans to create a third newsroom focused on young people, aiming to provide content that resonates with this demographic. However, it's unclear what exactly will work for this age group, as no one has successfully cracked the code on what young people want apart from individual creators on platforms like TikTok. The Post also aims to pivot to video content, which gives many in media "heebie-jeebies" due to past experiences with the shift towards video in the early 2010s. Despite these challenges, the Washington Post remains committed to maintaining its journalistic integrity and independence.
Journalistic integrity and paying sources: Paying sources for information can compromise journalistic integrity and undermine public trust in the media. British journalists, who operate in a leaner media market, are being hired in American newsrooms, raising concerns about job security and lack of transparency in recruitment processes.
The issue of journalists paying sources for information raises ethical concerns and can be perceived as undermining journalistic integrity. This was highlighted by the case of Will Lewis, a journalist who paid a large sum for the "MP's expenses candle" story, which led to accusations of being a political actor rather than a seeker of truth. American journalism is known for its rigor, but some British journalists view it as ponderous and self-important. However, the British journalism industry operates in a leaner media market, and some American newsrooms are bringing in British journalists to help navigate financial challenges. The recent hiring of several British journalists, including Will Lewis, Emma Tucker, and Don Micklethwaite, has raised concerns about job security and a lack of open recruitment processes. The ongoing presidential election in the United States may reinvigorate the anti-Trump movement and potentially boost the influence of these newspapers.
Current events: Staying informed and engaged in current events is crucial, especially after an election. Helen Lewis encourages listeners to continue learning and seeking out reliable sources of news.
Learning from this episode of Page 94 is the importance of staying informed and engaged in current events. Helen Lewis discussed the aftermath of the election and encouraged listeners to continue learning and seeking out reliable sources of news. The magazine, which can be purchased at local newsstands or online at private-i.co.uk, offers a wealth of information, news, and even humor to help keep readers informed and entertained. The episode was produced by Matt Hill of Rethink Audio, and listeners are invited to join Helen and the team again for the next post-election special emergency episode. Stay informed and we'll see you next time.