Democracy Sausage: Rizzinformation
Political communications expert Andrea Carson joins Democracy Sausage to discuss social media, misinformation and disinformation and what ideas, if any, are actually landing with a disengaged electorate.
Which campaign messages are cutting through in both traditional and social media?
Are mis- and disinformation seducing the electorate any more than in the past?
And are we now seeing social media impact not only how campaigns are run, but also how policy is designed?
On this episode of Democracy Sausage, Professor Andrea Carson joins Professor Mark Kenny and Dr Marija Taflaga to discuss the ‘subterranean’ election campaign – the crackpot memes, AI videos and Gen Z-courting content that could shape votes and policy.
Andrea Carson is a is Associate Dean, Research, Industry and Engagement with the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and Professor of Political Communication in the Department of Politics, Media and Philosophy at La Trobe University. She is also an award-winning former journalist.
Marija Taflaga is the Director of the ANU Australian Politics Studies Centre and a Lecturer at the ANU School of Politics and International Relations.
Mark Kenny is the Director of the ANU Australian Studies Institute. He came to the University after a high-profile journalistic career including six years as chief political correspondent and national affairs editor for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times.
Democracy Sausage with Mark Kenny is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to democracysausage@anu.edu.au.
Top image: A TikTok video from the Labor party. Photo: @australianlabor/TikTok
You may also like
Democracy Sausage: Antidote to the far right
This week, Mark and Marija are joined by Oscar Kaspi-Crutchett, research organiser at the Victorian Trades Hall Council and author of the new report Antidote.
Democracy Sausage: Angertainment
Ed Coper, author of Angertainment, joins Mark and Marija to unpack how social media algorithms have weaponised our ancient neurochemistry, why the internet's promise of a global village became a gladiatorial arena, and whether anyone can still win politics by appealing to hope.
Democracy Sausage: Two Teals, One Ticket
Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender join Mark and Marija from Parliament House to discuss the launch of Community Strong Australia, the logic (and the irony) behind it, and whether teal voters will buy a party that insists it isn't one.