Battle lines drawn in virtual space, but fight for votes is on the ground

Singapore

THE digital space is set to be a key battlefront for political parties in GE2020, as they try to rally voters through social media platforms, national broadcasts and live streams because physical rallies cannot be held amid the Covid-19 pandemic. But there are doubts as to whether even well-executed digital campaigns can impact votes significantly, say observers.

Many communication specialists pointed to past political rallies in Singapore, where huge turnouts did not always translate to electoral success. The same could apply to digital campaigns - positive sentiment online might not result in votes for the taking.

"Voters are looking to make more informed judgments," said Professor Ang Peng Hwa of the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI) in NTU.

"Looking at past elections, some opposition parties had a better grip and a better use of the Internet, but that still didn't play out in terms of votes," Prof Ang added.

Public relations executive Joel Lim told The Business Times that a good digital strategy might be able to help reflect the overall competency of the candidates, since it shows that they were able to effectively communicate their vision and message clearly.

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However, the 27-year-old, who has been analysing online political content on his Instagram and has gained over 2,000 followers since, does not think that this alone will be enough to sway his vote - it is still the policies and ethos of the candidates that matter.

Although effective digital strategies can help voters sit up and pay attention, the emotional aspect of digital content is hardly the key in influencing voters' decisions, said Shobha Avadhani, a lecturer at the Department of Communications and New Media in NUS.

The key rather, is for political parties to clearly convey - and make it easy for voters to find online - important messages that can help voters make an informed decision, said Dr Avadhani. These include online statements of their manifestos; their stand on various issues that voters care about; and profiles of their candidates running in various constituencies.

It is also important for political candidates to have done some groundwork way before the General Election swings by. These efforts - such as knocking on doors to speak to residents, and even attending wakes - do play a part in helping to win votes, said Prof Ang.

"In Singapore, wakes are important. People are touched when you show up, partly because there is superstition about bad luck involved; and also because attendees are expected to make a contribution. Showing up in face of bad luck and giving out of your own pocket would mean a huge deal to residents here," Prof Ang added.

Dr Avadhani agrees: "No matter how sophisticated the digital campaign, the sustained presence on the ground is still seen as a key indicator of sincerity and empathy. Physical presence is also significant because it is difficult to ignore or forget.

"There are also people in Singapore whose age and/or socioeconomic situation prevents them from having complete and sustained digital access. Showing up in person allows candidates to understand and address the problems that these voters face."

Additionally, Singapore has one of the shortest campaigning periods worldwide - just nine days. This makes it difficult for candidates to change voters' attitudes if they only rely on this window, said WKWSCI associate professor Benjamin Hill Detenber.

"The shorter period doesn't allow much time for nested repetition, which is one of the fundamental tactics in strategic communication," said Prof Detenber.

Cyber attacks are also an imminent threat candidates might have to grapple with.

Doctored images, messages and audio clips have, in the past, circulated quickly across messaging platforms and unverified social media accounts in Singapore, said Nicholas Fang, managing director of Black Dot Research, a market and social research consultancy that also produces an independent fact-checking platform.

"Although we have a regulatory framework such as the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act (POFMA) to protect against this, the actual cure for fake news on social media and the digital environment is really an educated, activated and socially aware citizenry."

Despite the odds, observers say it is still imperative for candidates to have a strong digital presence across different platforms in this election.

"Candidates can't really afford to only focus on one platform. They will need to have a presence everywhere - be it through online meet-the-people sessions, social media livestreams and posts, or large-scale teleconferences - in order to reach the different demographics and constituents," said Mr Fang.

Candidates can also use the wide spectrum of digital platforms and tools to their advantage.

Brian Lee, head of the communication programme at SUSS' School of Humanities and Behavioural Sciences told BT that political leaders are also now more "personable" because of their presence on social media.

"This helps the politicians to survey the emotional landscape on the ground effectively and hence be able to understand better what the people want and need," Dr Lee added.

With a digital platform, candidates can control a lot more of their messaging, down to the length of the content, the narrative, and even the backdrop. Physical rallies are more restrictive in this sense because of factors such as duration, logistics and the weather, added Mr Fang.

However, as more digitally savvy candidates come up with sleeker, more polished and well-executed content, Mr Fang said that ultimately, he hopes that Singaporeans will be discerning in the way they vote, even though a good digital campaign might tug on heartstrings.

"You're voting for leadership, for decision makers who come in to do things that will affect your life for many months or years to come."

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