Elections Transformed: Speed, Polarization, and Disinformation

In the year 2000, presidential elections were dominated by traditional media. Campaigns relied

on television, radio, and newspapers to reach voters, meaning nearly all

messaging was heavily filtered by professional journalists and editors working within established

ethical guidelines. By 2024, the communications landscape was entirely transformed by social

media. Platforms like X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok allowed

campaigns and candidates to deliver instant, unfiltered messages directly to millions of voters,

completely bypassing traditional media gatekeepers. This shift dramatically sped up voter mobilization

efforts. In 2000, organizing meant slow methods like phone banks and