Your Online World is Political: What Kids and Teens Need to Know

Ever spent hours scrolling through social media, searching for the latest games, or watching your favorite YouTubers? Guess what? That online world, the one you know so well, is becoming a big part of politics. It’s called “Virtual Politics,” and it’s something you should definitely know about!

Think of it like this: just like there’s a school and a park in your neighborhood, there’s also a whole political scene happening online. And just like grown-ups try to understand what you like and need in the real world, politicians are now trying to understand you in the virtual world too.

Your Digital Footprint: Leaving Clues Everywhere

Every time you go online, you leave behind little clues, like footprints in the sand. These “digital fingerprints” come from all sorts of things you do:

What you search for on Google or other search engines.
The funny videos or cool pictures you share with friends on TikTok or Instagram.
The games you play online and the things you buy in them.
The comments you leave on YouTube or other social media platforms.
Even the places you go with map apps on your phone!

All this information gets collected and looked at by grown-ups, including people who want to become politicians or tell you who to vote for. This massive collection of online clues is called Big Data 2.0.

Big Data: The New Political Playbook

Politicians use this Big Data 2.0 in a few key ways to try and connect with voters, including people who will be old enough to vote soon:

Figuring You Out (Political Asset & Intelligence): They gather all those digital footprints to understand what you and other young people care about. What are your interests? What makes you happy or angry? What kind of future do you want? They use special computer programs (Artificial Intelligence) to find patterns and understand what different groups of people like.
Talking Directly to You (Political Influence): Once they think they know what you care about, they’ll send you specific messages online. You might see ads on social media about things they think you’ll be interested in. These messages are designed to get your attention and maybe even change your mind about who to support.

They Want to Be Like You (The Congruency Principle)

Imagine a politician trying to be your friend. They might try to act like you, talk like you, and care about the same things you do. That’s kind of what the “congruency principle” is about. Politicians look at your digital footprints to see what kind of person you are and then try to show you that they are similar to you. They might talk about the same music you like, or the same issues you care about, hoping you’ll feel a connection with them. This “personalization of the electoral process” is all about making you feel like they “get” you.

What Can You Do About It?

It’s important to be aware that this is happening. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Think Before You Click: Not everything you see online is true or meant for everyone. Be critical of the information you see, especially when it comes to politics.
Your Privacy Matters: Remember that the information you share online can be used in ways you might not expect. Be careful about what you post and share.
Talk to Grown-Ups: If you see something online about politics that makes you curious or confused, talk to your parents, teachers, or other trusted adults.
It’s Okay to Have Your Own Opinion: Don’t let online ads or messages pressure you into thinking a certain way. Form your own opinions based on facts and what you believe in.

Your Digital Voice Matters

The internet is a powerful tool, and understanding how it’s being used in politics is super important, even for kids and teens. By being aware of “Virtual Politics” and your digital footprint, you can become a smarter and more informed citizen of both the online and offline world!

References:

Vecchione, M., Caprara, G. V., & Dentale, F. (2011). The personalization of the electoral process: The impact of candidates’ personality traits on voting decisions. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 638(1), 259–271.oter groups. This “personalization of the electoral process” aims to forge a deeper connection between voters and candidates, often operating at a subconscious level (Vecchione et al., 2011, p. 260).
Anstead, N. (2017). The rise of the data-driven campaign in the United States and the United Kingdom. International Journal of Communication, 11, 1691-1708.
Boehm, E. (2015). The data brokers: Selling your personal information. ProPublica.
Caprara, G. V., & Zimbardo, P. G. (2004). Personalizing politics: A congruency model of political preference. American Psychologist, 59(7), 581–594.
Gorton, T. J. (2016). Online political microtargeting: Promises and pitfalls. Journal of Political Marketing, 15(1), 1-18.
Hankey, B. (2019). Tactical Tech. [Reference to the work or publications of Hankey and Tactical Tech related to data in political marketing].
IDC. (2016). Worldwide Semiannual Big Data and Analytics Spending Guide.
Jacobson, S. (2013). IBM: 90% of data generated today was created in the last two years. Data Center Knowledge.
Kim, S. H., Hong, J. H., & Lee, J. K. (2018). The impact of social media on political participation: Evidence from the US presidential election. Telematics and Informatics, 35(8), 2153-2163.
Kim, W., Choi, S., Park, S. H., & Oh, J. (2014). What is big data in healthcare? Healthcare Informatics Research, 20(2), 78-83.
Kruschinski, S., & Haller, J. (2017). The personalization of politics: How social media platforms shape political campaigns. Information, Communication & Society, 20(10), 1529-1546.
Lycett, M. (2013). Data explosion: Challenges and opportunities. Strategic Direction, 29(8), 3-5.
Panagopoulos, C. (2015). Political microtargeting: The state of the field. Journal of Political Marketing, 14(1-2), 1-16.
Rajaraman, A. (2016). Big data analytics. In Encyclopedia of Database Systems (pp. 1-6). Springer.