Political Social Media Fails: When Self-Praise Goes Wrong
The internet never forgets, and it certainly has a way of catching out politicians who haven’t quite mastered the art of social media. Today’s serving of political comedy comes from the Young Nationals, who seem to have taken a page from the “How Not to Use Social Media” handbook by accidentally praising themselves from their own account.
This gaffe immediately reminded me of similar incidents we’ve seen before, including that memorable moment when another politician congratulated himself on Facebook. It’s like watching someone trip over their own shoelaces – embarrassing, but you can’t look away.
Digital literacy isn’t just about knowing how to use technology; it’s about understanding its implications. Working in IT, I’ve seen countless examples of how simple oversights can lead to significant embarrassments. The difference is, when a developer forgets to switch between testing and production environments, it usually doesn’t end up as front-page news.
What’s particularly concerning isn’t just the social media fumble – it’s the broader pattern of attempted manipulation in political communication. Whether it’s astroturfing (the practice of creating fake grassroots support) or deliberately misleading advertising, these tactics erode public trust in our political system.
The fact that political advertising isn’t held to the same truth-in-advertising standards as commercial advertising is genuinely problematic. Walking through the CBD yesterday, I noticed election posters making claims that would never pass muster if they were selling a product rather than a politician. There’s something fundamentally wrong when we hold breakfast cereal advertisements to a higher standard of truthfulness than political campaigns.
Looking at the broader picture, this incident reflects a deeper issue in our political landscape. The rise of social media has created new opportunities for political engagement, but it’s also opened the door to more sophisticated forms of manipulation. From my desk in Richmond’s tech precinct, I’ve watched this digital transformation of political communication with growing concern.
These aren’t just harmless gaffes – they’re symptoms of a political culture that often prioritizes appearance over substance. When political operators think it’s acceptable to create fake engagement, we need to ask ourselves what other corners they might be willing to cut.
The solution isn’t necessarily more regulation (though that might help), but rather a more digitally literate and critically aware electorate. We need voters who can spot these manipulation attempts and call them out. The good news is that’s exactly what happened here – people noticed, screenshots were taken, and the incident became a lesson in what not to do on social media.
Maybe next time, our political operators will remember to check which account they’re logged into before hitting that ‘post’ button. Though somehow, I doubt this will be the last time we see this kind of social media self-own.