This little dissertation aimed to compare French conservative and British sensationalistic communication practices during political campaigning through an analysis of the political communication history in both countries, a reminder of fundamental political communication notions and a focus on the modern use of digital communication over last presidential elections. Then, the objective was to understand the influence of fake news, targeted ads and social medias on the communication methods used by the politicians through a comparison of different studies conducted on this topic and an analysis of a focus group debate between five millennials of both French and British nationalities.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Literature Review
A. Fundamental notions of political communication
1. The influence of political communication
2. Democracy and strategic communication
3. What is digital political communication all about?
B. French digital communication among electoral campaigns
1. The political conservative communication French touch
2. The use of social medias along 2012 and 2017 presidential elections
3. Targeted advertising and fake news impact on French elections
C. British digital communication among electoral campaigns
1. British tabloids, spin doctors and sensationalistic communication
2. Social medias utilisation during Brexit, 2015 and 2017 general elections
3. The role of targeted advertising and fake news on British campaigning
D. Conclusion & hypothesis
III. Field Research
A. Methodology
B. Objectives
C. Results
IV. Strategic Recommendations
V. Appendices
Focus Group
VI. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Themes
This thesis examines the evolution of political communication in the digital age, focusing specifically on the impact of social media, targeted advertising, and "fake news" on electoral processes in France and the United Kingdom. The central research question explores how digital communication strategies influence public opinion and voter behavior, and whether these effects differ based on the specific cultural and political systems of the two nations.
- Comparison of political communication practices in France and the UK.
- The role of social media platforms as tools for political campaigning and voter engagement.
- The impact and prevalence of targeted digital advertising and "dark ads" in elections.
- The influence of misinformation and fake news on democratic debate and voter perception.
- Qualitative assessment of how millennials perceive digital campaigning and media credibility.
Excerpt from the Book
3. What is digital political communication all about?
Digital political communication is a new way used by people to communicate around politics. It is including the use of news technologies, phones, tablets and computers in order to communicate with others on social medias and websites linked more or less with politics.
Then, digital communication allowed a big change which enables people to become their own politics medias for the others. This can have dangerous outcomes because people tend to less check and compare their sources than journalists due to the fact that official medias have to keep their objectivity reputation if they still want to be read.
For example, a representative study led between the 12th January and 8th February 2016 on 4654 members of Pew Research Center’s American Trends Pannel highlighted the lack of comparing practices in their information treatment. The response to their study points out that “a majority (64%) get news on just one, most commonly Facebook. About a quarter (26%) gets news on two of those sites. Just one-in-ten get news on three or more”. An other study comparing the social medias news use during the same period shows that Facebook is the most used by U.S adults and is by far the most used to get news.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: Presents the evolution of political communication from the late 20th century to the digital era, highlighting the role of spin doctors and the shift towards social media.
II. Literature Review: Establishes theoretical foundations regarding political communication and democracy, while contrasting the distinct political systems and media cultures of France and the UK.
III. Field Research: Details a qualitative study conducted through a focus group with French and British millennials to assess their perceptions of digital political campaigning.
IV. Strategic Recommendations: Synthesizes the findings to provide insights on how digital communication impacts public opinion, advocating for increased media literacy and regulation.
V. Appendices: Contains the detailed methodology and transcripts of the focus group discussions conducted for the field research.
VI. Bibliography: Lists the academic sources, studies, and data references utilized throughout the thesis.
Keywords
Political Communication, Digital Marketing, Social Media, Fake News, Targeted Advertising, Elections, Democracy, France, United Kingdom, Millennials, Public Opinion, Spin Doctors, Big Data, Brexit, Political Strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this thesis?
The research examines the influence of digital communication—specifically social media, fake news, and targeted advertising—on political campaigns and public opinion in France and the UK.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The paper covers the professionalization of political communication, the rise of social media as a campaign tool, the ethics of targeted ads, and the differing impacts of misinformation in French and British political landscapes.
What is the primary research goal?
The aim is to evaluate how digital communication affects voter behavior and to determine if these practices influence different political systems (parliamentary vs. semi-presidential) in unique ways.
Which scientific method is employed?
The author uses a qualitative research approach, specifically a mixed focus group consisting of French and British millennials, to gain insights into perceptions of political campaigning.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main sections provide a literature review of political communication theories, a comparative analysis of electoral digital strategies in France and the UK, and field research results evaluating these strategies from a youth perspective.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include political communication, digital marketing, social media, fake news, targeted advertising, democracy, and comparative electoral analysis.
How does the British tabloid culture influence political communication?
The research suggests that the British "sensationalist" media culture contributes to higher susceptibility to misinformation and negative campaigning compared to the more regulated French media environment.
What role does the "filter bubble" play in elections?
The author discusses how hyper-personalized social media feeds reinforce existing biases, potentially leading to voter polarization and the failure of traditional polls to predict major outcomes like Brexit.
How do French and British regulations on political advertising differ?
French law is generally stricter regarding commercial advertising during campaigns, whereas the UK system offers more flexibility for digital advertising, allowing for the widespread use of "dark ads" by political parties.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Raphael Saint Bris (Autor:in), 2017, Digital communication in French and UK political elections. Fake news, targeted ads and social medias, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/387212
