Political figures and governments tailor communication to sway the public

by Claire Dunmore About Claire DunmoreOctober 27, 20266 links · ~49 min read · ~1 min for the TL;DR

The Committee Room by Claire Dunmore: six links on Politics every day.

TL;DR

Some governments cite legitimate AI concerns as a pretext to restrict chatbot responses and control political discussions about leaders in power.
The prime minister risks the Commons Speaker's anger by taking longer than his predecessors to respond to questions from MPs during PMQs.
Vivek Ramaswamy is using opponent Amy Acton's childhood abuse as a closing attack in Ohio's gubernatorial race, with encouragement from President Trump.
Utah and federal officials failed to contain a bird flu outbreak on a mink farm, prioritizing industry interests despite pandemic risks to humans.
Everyday women are sharing personal accounts of healthcare, immigration, and intimate partner violence to become trusted messengers in midterm elections.
Political campaigns frequently employ fear-based advertising to target existing voter prejudices and stereotypes, though the effect on actual voting remains unpredictable.

From the curator

Political figures and public officials frequently shape communication to protect their interests and influence voters. In an 8-minute article for The 19th, Amanda Becker reports that Vivek Ramaswamy has used Amy Acton's childhood abuse as a closing campaign attack in the Ohio governor's race, with encouragement from President Trump. Meanwhile, Jordi Calvet-Bademunt's 4-minute article for The Conversation explains that governments worldwide use legitimate AI concerns as a pretext to control chatbot discussions about leaders in power. Whether campaigns deploy fear-based advertisements to play on prejudices or everyday women share personal experiences to sway midterm elections, communication is continually tailored to direct public reaction.

Claire Dunmore

Curated for this issue

The Conversation4 min readHow governments worldwide are shaping what AI can say about politics
Some governments use legitimate AI concerns as a pretext to control political discussion, particularly chatbot responses about those in power.

Jordi Calvet-Bademunt · curated 1 time

BBC News2 min readAndy Burnham risks wrath of Commons Speaker for talking too much at PMQs
The prime minister takes longer than his predecessors to respond to questions from MPs, writes Matt Chorley.

The 19th8 min readAmy Acton survived childhood abuse. Her Republican opponent is using it to attack her.
Vivek Ramaswamy has made this the closing argument against her in the Ohio governor's race. President Trump thinks he should “keep it up.”

Amanda Becker · curated 1 time

ProPublica18 min readBird Flu Is Raging on a Mink Farm. It Could Spark a Human Pandemic, Experts Say, but Officials Won’t Act.
Federal officials brushed off the issue as Utah prioritized the fur industry’s interests. Little has been done to stop the spread of the virus and ensure it can’t spread to…

Nat Lash and Julie Leopo

The 19th9 min readWomen are baring their souls to make the midterm elections feel personal
By sharing their stories, everyday women are becoming trusted messengers on issues such as immigration, intimate partner violence and healthcare.

Mel Leonor Barclay, Shefali Luthra

The Conversation7 min readFear-based campaign ads can grab attention, but whether they win votes is less clear
Political campaigns often use fear to play on voters’ existing prejudices and stereotypes. What that means for your vote is less predictable.

Monique Mitchell Turner · curated 1 time

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From the curator

The Conversation4 min readHow governments worldwide are shaping what AI can say about politicsSome governments use legitimate AI concerns as a pretext to control political discussion, particularly chatbot responses about those in power.

BBC News2 min readAndy Burnham risks wrath of Commons Speaker for talking too much at PMQsThe prime minister takes longer than his predecessors to respond to questions from MPs, writes Matt Chorley.

The 19th8 min readAmy Acton survived childhood abuse. Her Republican opponent is using it to attack her.Vivek Ramaswamy has made this the closing argument against her in the Ohio governor's race. President Trump thinks he should “keep it up.”

The 19th9 min readWomen are baring their souls to make the midterm elections feel personalBy sharing their stories, everyday women are becoming trusted messengers on issues such as immigration, intimate partner violence and healthcare.

The Conversation7 min readFear-based campaign ads can grab attention, but whether they win votes is less clearPolitical campaigns often use fear to play on voters’ existing prejudices and stereotypes. What that means for your vote is less predictable.

The Conversation4 min readHow governments worldwide are shaping what AI can say about politics
Some governments use legitimate AI concerns as a pretext to control political discussion, particularly chatbot responses about those in power.

BBC News2 min readAndy Burnham risks wrath of Commons Speaker for talking too much at PMQs
The prime minister takes longer than his predecessors to respond to questions from MPs, writes Matt Chorley.

The 19th8 min readAmy Acton survived childhood abuse. Her Republican opponent is using it to attack her.
Vivek Ramaswamy has made this the closing argument against her in the Ohio governor's race. President Trump thinks he should “keep it up.”

The 19th9 min readWomen are baring their souls to make the midterm elections feel personal
By sharing their stories, everyday women are becoming trusted messengers on issues such as immigration, intimate partner violence and healthcare.

The Conversation7 min readFear-based campaign ads can grab attention, but whether they win votes is less clear
Political campaigns often use fear to play on voters’ existing prejudices and stereotypes. What that means for your vote is less predictable.