The game has obviously moved into the realm of the internet and the social media universe. It may thus have become more effective. Does it surprise anyone? Have conspiracy theories not claimed that we are steered by Zionists, capitalists, evil companies etc. for decades, well before the internet. Have we not read articles about corruption, bribes and undemocratic influence by the powerful in our societies, well before the internet. Has it ever been transparent?
The reach of such dirty meddling has increased, maybe, but the powerful influencing decisions is as old as mankind in my opinion.
In all this outrage, I miss an analysis what an internet/Facebook disinformation campaign may have actually mattered. How many votes were steered from one side to another through some better targeted ‘fake news’ items shown to carefully and algorithmically selected members of the electorate? There must have been some. People cannot grasp complex issues based on facts, but can form an ‘opinion’ founded on fear and anger. Emotion beats facts. Not new.
Few have the education and the knowledge to think independently and sanity-check statements that oversimplify the issues we face.
However, I have a hard time believing that many voters were swayed to go for Brexit or Trump due to Cambridge Analytica or other marketing campaign actors. Some, probably, but not too many. This does not undermine democracy; it merely highlights the dangers of a lack of education.
Am I naïve?