During election periods, misinformation tends to circulate more widely than at other times. The spread of incorrect or misleading information can have a strong influence on public perception, especially when emotions are high and citizens are eager for updates.
False claims, doctored images, and fake videos often begin to circulate rapidly, and many voters end up forming opinions based on this unverified contents. The desire to gain political advantage pushes some individuals or groups to deliberately publish wrong information.
With access to digital platforms and social media, it becomes easy for people to share information without checking the authenticity of the source. Once misinformation gains attention, it becomes difficult to correct, especially when it aligns with the beliefs or suspicions of a certain group of people.
Political lies often travel faster than the truth ((Photo: Getty Images)Many times, this type of false content is spread intentionally to manipulate the public. It may be in the form of statements attributed to politicians, altered documents, or edited videos that present a misleading version of events.
People are more likely to share information that supports their candidate or criticises an opponent, and this emotional reaction helps misinformation to spread even further. Traditional media outlets also sometimes pick up unverified stories due to the pressure to remain ahead in election coverage, giving even more attention to false claims.
How Social Media Plays a Major Role
Digital platforms have become the fastest ways to pass information. Unfortunately, they are also the easiest ways for misinformation to move from one person to another. Social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, and Instagram provide users with the tools to forward, retweet, repost, and share any content they come across.
During elections, political supporters become very active online, and they tend to circulate posts that either praise their preferred candidates or make opponents look bad. In many cases, these posts contain little or no truth. The speed at which they spread is concerning because there is rarely time for fact-checking before many people have already accepted them as truth.
WhatsApp in particular has played a troubling role because of the private nature of its messages. Unlike Twitter or Facebook, where posts are public and can be challenged openly, misinformation in WhatsApp groups remains unchecked.
Many people receive false information from trusted contacts such as family members or religious leaders, and they believe it without question. The emotional tone used in these messages also contributes to how believable they seem.
The Influence of Fake News Websites
Apart from social media, some websites pretend to be news outlets. These sites publish stories that look professional but are completely made up. Their main goal is often to mislead the public or to make money through advertisements by attracting traffic to their pages.
During elections, these websites become very active and target hot political topics. Their headlines are written to provoke strong emotional reactions, leading readers to share the content without checking the facts.
Some of these fake websites even imitate the names and designs of popular media platforms, which makes it difficult for ordinary readers to know the difference. Because of this, many voters are influenced by stories they believe are coming from trusted sources. Once a fake story begins to circulate, correcting it becomes difficult because people usually prefer information that supports their opinions, whether true or false.
Role of Political Campaigns in Spreading Wrong Information
It is common for political parties to use misinformation as a strategy. Campaign teams sometimes create stories to damage the image of their opponents. They may also exaggerate the achievements of their own candidates to make them look more attractive to voters.
In some situations, private consultants or international firms are hired to spread such stories professionally, using targeted adverts and data analysis to influence certain groups of people.
Political parties also use influencers or social media personalities to help them push these messages. Because these individuals have a large following, their posts can reach thousands or even millions of people in a short time. Even when they later withdraw or apologise for spreading false information, the damage is already done, and some people never see the correction.
How Emotions and Identity Contribute
People often believe and share information that supports their emotional needs or personal identity. During elections, voters become very attached to their candidates, often seeing them as a reflection of their beliefs or values.
This emotional attachment means that they are more likely to accept stories that praise their candidate or attack an opponent, even when the stories are false. Misinformation takes advantage of this human behaviour and becomes even more difficult to control.
Religious and ethnic identities also play a role. When people feel their group is under attack or is being excluded from power, they are more likely to believe and spread stories that support their sense of injustice. In such cases, correcting false information becomes a challenge because the belief is tied to emotion, not reason.
The Responsibility of the Public and the Media
Stopping the spread of misinformation requires effort from everyone. Media organisations must take their role seriously by verifying information before publication. They should avoid rushing to report stories without checking the facts. Journalists should always investigate sources properly and provide evidence to support their reports. When mistakes happen, corrections should be made immediately and in a visible way.
Voters caught in a storm of false claims and viral posts (Photo: Twitter)Ordinary citizens also have a role to play. People must learn to question the information they receive, especially during elections. Before forwarding a message or sharing a post, one should ask whether the information has been verified. Fact-checking websites are available and should be used more often. Teaching media literacy in schools and communities will also help people to recognise when they are being misled.
Efforts by Tech Companies and Election Commissions
Technology companies are beginning to take the problem more seriously by introducing tools to help users report or flag false information. Some platforms now label suspicious posts or reduce their visibility so that fewer people see them.
However, these efforts are not always effective, and in many countries, such tools are still limited. There is a need for stronger cooperation between social media companies, civil society, and electoral bodies.
Election commissions also have a responsibility to monitor the public space for false claims that could affect voter behaviour. They should work closely with trusted media and fact-checking organisations to debunk such stories quickly. Providing accurate information on official platforms can help reduce the chances of false information gaining ground.
The spread of misinformation during elections is a problem that affects democracy and the credibility of the electoral process. It confuses voters, damages reputations, and can even lead to violence. While digital platforms have made it easier to access information, they have also created room for falsehoods to thrive.
Combating this issue requires effort from political parties, media organisations, technology firms, electoral bodies, and the public. Only by working together can the harmful effects of false information during elections be reduced.