Microtargeting in U.S. Elections: Is it Really a Game-Changer?

 In recent years (and in my previous posts), microtargeting has been hotly debated. With Cambridge Analytica's use of Facebook data to deliver targeted political ads, many began to wonder if the future of modern elections had been changed forever. However, a new study by MIT scholars suggests that while microtargeting can be effective, it may not be the all-powerful tool it's often portrayed to be. 

The Study's Key Findings

The MIT study, led by David Rand, shows that political targeting does have its benefits, but perhaps not in the way that many have assumed. According to the study, tailoring political ads based on one characteristic, such as party affiliation, can be 70% more effective at influencing opinions than showing the same ad to everyone. However, adding more characteristics to the mix- such as age, gender, and moral values- did not increase the ad's effectiveness. This finding challenges the previous notion that hyper-specific microtargeting is an essential strategy. 

Testing Political Ads

To test these ideas, the MIT team conducted two phases of experiments. They began by evaluating different video ads related to two major policy topics: the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 and universal basic income. Over 23,000 participants were divided into groups, with some viewing targeted ads and others only receiving basic information about the policies. After analyzing which ads were most persuasive, the researchers simulated several campaign strategies to see how well microtargeting really performed.

The results showed that targeting ads based on just one voter characteristic worked better than randomly selected ads or showing a single ad to the entire group. However, microtargeting ads using multiple attributes did not perform any better or provide an advantage.

What Does This Mean for Future Elections?

 According to the MIT researchers, campaigns might want to rethink the extent to which they rely on data-heavy microtargeting strategies. In a political world where data rules, it’s easy to assume that more information will always lead to better results. Yet, this study demonstrates that this may not always be the case.

Rand sums it up perfectly: “It’s clearly not mind control.” While microtargeting can give political ads a boost, it’s not the unstoppable force some think it to be. Campaigns can still see results by targeting ads to specific parties, but it's not about how "micro" you can go. The future of microtargeting may lie in simplifying, rather than complicating strategies. 

https://news.mit.edu/2023/study-microtargeting-politics-tailored-ads-0621