FEATURES OF POLITICAL POROPAGANDA ON DIGITAL PLATFORMS

Due to a number of fundamental factors the role and significance of social media in modern politics are increasing. The Internet and social media are increasing their influence in all spheres of life. Interest and confidence in traditional media are noticeably falling, which is compensated by the growing interest and trust in social media. The generations learned and formed in a new socio-cultural and technological context are coming into political and social life. Thus, the digital platforms are becoming a new important field of political (or computational) propaganda. The goals of computational propaganda are the same as the goals of traditional one. Computational propaganda uses the same cognitive misconceptions. In computational propaganda bots (imitating human behavior software programs) and paid users are used. Paid users operate with three basic tactics. The first one is the manufacturing of consent. The second is the replacement and criticism of undesirable points of view and the creation of alternative communication. The third is the use of agents of influence. These three tactics are positive and informative. Also the tactics of trolling is used to destroy communication. Compared with the traditional computational propaganda has a number of important advantages. It provides a prompt feedback, allows to modify quickly the message and ensure its multivariance, thereby greatly improving the accuracy of delivery. In general, computational propaganda is more effective and cheaper at the same time than traditional one. However, developed a century ago the general principles, strategies and tactics of political propaganda, remain unchanged. But the channels and delivery techniques under which the message is modified have been changed. The role and significance of political propaganda in the digital environment will increase over time and in one or two generations digital platforms can become the main arena of propaganda struggle.

Twitter, propaganda, computational propaganda, cognitive misconceptions, bots, trolls, trolling, paid users, manufacturing of consent, replacement, agents of influence, Twitter

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