These tactics aim to suppress turnout or sway perception, especially among Black and Brown voters:
1. Voter Suppression Messaging:
• “Your vote doesn’t count.”
• “They’re going to rig it anyway.”
• “Everyone you know is voting the other way.”
• “Both sides are the same.”
2. Fear and Distrust Campaigns:
• Use of crime, immigration, or cultural “replacement” language to sow fear.
• Manipulated videos or fake headlines to trigger emotional reactions.
3. Microtargeted Disinformation:
• Ads or posts only seen by specific racial or age groups.
• Bots and fake accounts in group chats, Facebook groups, or TikTok comments.
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✅ How to Get Ahead of It—and Use Media Strategically
1. Build Trusted Voices Early
• Use influencers, pastors, barbers, educators, and youth leaders to deliver accurate, empowering information.
• People believe people they know. Peer-to-peer trust is the antidote to mass manipulation.
2. Flood the Zone with Facts + Emotion
• Use short-form video (TikTok, Instagram Reels) to emotionally connect and motivate, not just inform.
• Tell real stories about how laws have impacted everyday people—positive and negative.
3. Flip the Fear
• Don’t just defend—go on offense.
• Use truth-based fear when appropriate: “If we don’t vote, this law will pass. This clinic will close. This judge stays in power.”
• Link policies to personal consequences: “Your cousin with student loans? That’s on the ballot.”
4. Expose and Call Out Disinfo
• Make disinformation awareness part of the campaign: teach people how to spot fakes and report bots.
• Run videos that show “how they manipulate us” to remove shame and empower vigilance.
5. Use Their Tactics for Mobilization, Not Suppression
• Microtargeted messages can inspire too:
• “This district came down to 214 votes. You matter.”
• “In 2020, you flipped this state. Let’s do it again.”
• “Your friends are voting—don’t be the one who sat out.”
6. Engage Young Digital Creators
• Fund and amplify content creators who are authentic, funny, and real—especially Gen Z voices who understand meme warfare, remix culture, and the language of the algorithm.
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đź§ Message Discipline Is Key
• Unified themes, repeated constantly across platforms, influencers, and communities, create a sense of movement.
• Use hashtags, slogans, and memes to make turnout feel cultural, not just political.