Electoral Campaign, Meta-Cambridge Analytica, Potential Implications, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
To further cause damages is micro-targeting voters and their specific messages, that can be through instilling, vilifying or polarization a certain party.
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – Time passing by, and is getting closer to the electoral campaign to hold, then there is a parliamentary general election in Kurdistan Region on October 20th.
It is noticeable with a different atmosphere and time, nowadays the developed information technology and artificial intelligence AI participate in the election campaign, get benefit from for the procedure and the entire matter.
As much the IT, online and internet services made life easier, it’s caused disadvantages too, in term of spreading disinformation and fake news, behavioral data will easily be targeted online, for example thorough repeated patterns of online activities, previous purchases, and media habits.
Political parties could use propaganda in an appropriate manner to influence particular segments of the population, so far, no troubles occurred, but there are hackers, cyber security attacks, and groups who would interfere the electoral campaign and drive it to a negative outcome.
When Robert Mercer chaired the Cambridge Analytica company, a fair, free and transparent election irreversibly damaged, from the fake, fabricated videos to spreading disinformation, the outcome was unexpected in general.
Read More: General Election, Facebook-Cambridge Analytica, Potential Implications on Kurdistan Region, Iraq
The Meta and its products (Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram…etc), could pass on messages that could be politically influential or contain information that could cause confusion, furthermore to post inflammatory messages to the public, to, particularly, aim at vulnerable people who suffered because of being marginalized, experienced a life of flaws and or not being supported, regardless to the reasons.
To further cause damages is micro-targeting voters and their specific messages, that can be through instilling, vilifying or polarization a certain party. Or to try to rallying certain demographics of voters, such attempts would be further strengthened by bots and fake accounts to provide fake and fraud support.
The Public, the Relations
Context of Iraq is far more complicated, the same data breaches apply and can be used by politicians.
Another traditional path that has been tried before, to present a negative picture of the government and its establishments, through negative campaigns, intentionally to place the whole policy on the edge and in a position to be most advantageous to another party or certain candidates’ interests.
Further critical, is the targeting would allow them to directly address the voters’ fear, needs, and preferences, which would make their campaigns more effective, less time consuming and less costly.
CA and Meta who are based in the US, created psychological mapping, which can be used to manipulate the opinions and beliefs.
In Iraq, such techniques could influence the audience about major issues relating to governance, security, and foreign policy.
Naturally, the election campaigns influence societal policies and citizens’ participation in the voting, nevertheless, its process by appealing to the voters’ fears and prejudice.
Social Media platforms
Facebook, twitter and WhatsApp, Viber, Fake Bots and Fake account…etc. can be used to spread politically inclined messages.
Surfing the social platforms, engagement and outcomes have been noticed, esp. of political messages to make it look like there is a lot of support or oppositions.
These automatic accounts interact with genuine users- individuals, misleading information posts to impact the conversation.
If it comes to the undecided voter or simply confirm the existing biases of the targeted voter, ill-intention or filthy work gets worse.
According to some UN and international observatory organizations, Iraq is considered to be the second worst country in censorship. The government took more control in regulating the internet services, especially social media, for example, during exams and protests it was shut down.
Probably, internet or social networks censorship has pros and cons, it is not only a restriction of freedom of speech, but also facilitates the possibility that ill-intentioned parties dominate the information agenda and influence citizens without resistance.
Recommendations to Kurdistan Region
- According to international standards and experts, it needs to have proper laws governing to include protection of people’s personal data, the proper responsibilities and consequences of the unauthorized automated collection of personal data.
- Formation of an independent regulatory authority to chase and follow up compliances and protection.
- Frequent audits, seasonal and annual release of transparency reports to ensure that abuses of the data collected are kept in check.
- Launch awareness campaigns and increase awareness of people to prevent the misuse of their data by third parties after proving a clear data breach. That applies to targeting information and educational campaigns may draw attention to personal data protection and possible adverse effects of data misuse.
- Furthermore, Observing the misinforming campaigns closely and abiding them by legal restrictions.
- To take identification requirements for sponsors and funding of political ads and fact-checking into considerations.
- To apply rules on the political advertisements by other independent institutions, to prevent negative information broadcast and disseminate on one side and preserve the just and purity of the elections on another.
- Strengthening the cybersecurity system to prevent any attacks through networks that contain sensitive data, to secure them against further cyber threats.
- To provide extra funds to assist the development of stronger cybersecurity systems, to help companies maximize protection of the legal data.
- Perhaps, to consider collaborations and coordination with the international organizations who can support to be the sources in terms of funding, knowledge, and technical support in matters to do with the data safety and privacy.
- Rearrange the law of freedom of information to enabling the flow of information and freedom of opinions all over the paths, and avoid counteracting the articles of that law.
- There has been a view on middle eastern governing, international organizations and agencies urges countries to avoid banning internet services and where it must do so.
- It is believed that Kurdistan Region Government have the capability to avoid abusing personal data to interfere with political processes, it is also able to safeguard the integrity of its democracy while guaranteeing citizens’ freedom.
- In conclusion that is to promote and strengthening democracy as well as to have a fair, just and free general election for Kurds.
Prepared and interpreted by Seyran