Use of Twitter for Political Agenda

Posted: January 4th, 2023

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Use of Twitter for Political Agenda

The research explores the use of social media for political communication in Canada. It pays considerable attention to how the Liberal Party utilizes Twitter to relay direct messages aimed at specific groups and indirect messaged seeking to evoke particular emotions. The study describes how the leading Party utilizes various strategies to make its posts relevant and appealing. It describes how the political group uses videos, images, and scholarly sources to make its messages appealing and impactful on the audience. The Liberals use Twitter to access a broader audience, ease communication, and build public trust and confidence. Using Twitter is an effective way for the Liberal Party to interact with its supporters and citizens at large because its accessibility and due to its convenience nature in transmitting and receiving information.

Background Information 

The emergence and advancement of social media have transformed how political parties communicate with their followers in Canada and other parts of the world. Political groups such as political think tanks, institutions, politicians, and political parties utilize social media avenues like Twitter and Facebook to interact with and engage the electorates (Ahmad, Alvi, and Ittefaq). Politicians, ordinary citizens, and other leaders can raise their views or concerns, engage with a broad network, and interact with other likeminded individuals. Social media subscribers’ active engagement has been an increasingly essential feature in political conversation, particularly during political campaigns and elections (Ahmad, Alvi, and Ittefaq). The growth of smartphone use from 2010 has increased how Canadians use their cellphones to follow politicians and their political practices, and that number continues to widen today. Social media platforms transform the nature of political interaction because they are tools that can effectively inform and mobilize subscribers in new and appealing ways (Garrett). Users can interact directly with campaign managers and politicians and take part in political issues in new designs. Each social media avenue is designed in a particular way by developers, forming a unique digital avenue that facilitates how citizens and politicians can utilize them for political reasons (Garrett. For example, by merely pressing on the follow button on Twitter or the like button on Facebook, users can link with their target and pass their message or views in exciting ways. Social media use in politics may become even trendier in the future, making it necessary to understand the primary features regarding the use of such networking sites. 

Use of Twitter by the Liberal Party 

The Liberal Party of Canada is an example of a political party that uses social media platforms to interact with supporters and followers. The Party is the oldest and longest-serving in the country and has dominated Canada’s politics for much of the country’s history. The party is active on Twitter, and at least 5,659 people are following it and have approximately 338.6 thousand followers (Twitter). The primary messages the party leader passes via social media revolve around the government’s plan to improve their people’s livelihood and other information that citizens would want to know about the state’s initiatives (Twitter). Moreover, the party transmits messages via Twitter that it believes will help Canadian citizens be safe from possible threats. The target audience relies on Twitter’s news to know what the government plans for its people and how it uses public funds for different projects. The posts allow people to monitor and assess the government’s practices without meeting the electorates personally (Twitter). Moreover, Twitter will enable politicians in the Liberal Party to reach more people than they would do when holding a public rally or meeting where the chances are high that the participants will only come from the nearby places. 

The Party posts direct messages and information on Twitter when addressing a named group and their aspirations. For example, the Liberal Party tweeted on September 20, addressing and consoling John Turner’s family and loved ones. The message says that “As a Finance Minister, Justice Minister, Liberal leader, PM, and a dedicated citizen, Turner committed his life to creating a better Canada – and to the perceptions and values that make the country’s democracy strong” (Twitter). The message is direct in the sense that it explicitly addresses Turner’s death and those who relate and know him. The Party tweeted a direct message on September 18, wishing the Jewish communities across the country and around the globe a happy and prosperous new year (Twitter). The information is precise and directly addresses a specific community, the Jewish. The Party uses the avenue to show its support of the population and make its citizens belonging to the religious group feel acknowledged, loved, valued and appreciated. Trudeau had on September 18, 2020 posted a direct message aimed at Ya’ara Saks, a mother, community advocate, businesswoman, and Liberal candidate for York Center (Twitter). The Party Leader congratulates Saks and shows confidence in her tweeting that she will be a strong voice for York Centers’ communities. Sending direct messages provides the Party with a chance to show its solidarity to specific individuals, groups, families, and agencies that influence it or the government.   

Twitter provides the Liberal Party with an opportunity to relay indirect appeals that seek to influence the audiences’ beliefs, emotions, and values. The Party believes that sending such messages would encourage the target group to work with the government or heed to particular policies that would improve their well-being or help them overcome their concerns. For example, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sent an indirect appeal to Canadians on August 19, informing the audience that the Liberal government is taking adequate measures to keep citizens supported and healthy (Twitter). The tweet that gained more than 390 comments and hundreds of other reactions shows how the country needs a long-term plan for recovery as the community slowly re-opens following the effects of COVID-19. The plan would bring everyone together and builds a better future for everyone (Twitter). The Prime Minister uses ethos and pathos in his appealing strategy to deliver an ethically sound statement and an emotional appeal to the audience. Trudeau reiterated the government’s plan to intervene during a statement he released on September 23, 2020 tweet where he asks his audience to consider if they could not stay at home during this time when people should remain indoors to avoid contracting the novel coronavirus because they do not have a place to call home (Twitter). The leader uses the platform to ask his people to imagine facing the disaster on the streets and state that many Canadians already find themselves in this unpleasant situation. He then restores hope by informing Canadians how the government is investing more than $1.2 billion to support the homeless (Twitter). Such indirect messages do not appear to address any specific groups’ interests, but instead, they provide generalized meanings that evoke emotional and empathetic feelings. 

Posting Strategies 

The Liberal Party uses various techniques to make its posts on Twitter appealing to users, thus increasing the possibilities of making the messages more captivating and appealing. For example, most of the Party officials’ tweets have a capital L symbol to signify the group’s name and have the hallmark maple leaf, which is the renowned emblem of Canada (Twitter). These labels show the authenticity of the message and help the audience to identify its source. The use of images and videos is a continuing trend in social media use that the Party uses to make their messages outstanding. For example, The Party used a video of Mary Ng, the Canadian Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade, on its September 15 tweet to illustrate the Prime Minister and the government’s commitment in standing up for the Canadian people and businesses that rely on strong trade ties with partners (Twitter). Ng describes how Canada will not impose any countermeasures on the U.S. and how both countries have an effective plan to enhance aluminum trade (Twitter). The Prime Minister releases a video to accompany the statement he released on September 23, where he stresses the government’s commitment to creating a resilient place for everyone, especially now that coronavirus is taking a heavy toll on many aspects of the society (Twitter). The videos are influential in transmitting the message and provide an increased urge to read and consider the information’s impact. The use of images is equally essential in sending the message. For example, the Federal Party tweets on September 17 informing Canadians of the government preparedness in facilitating a smooth return to class after the long break due to the health crisis. It places Trudeau’s image with the words “Investing in Canadian families as communities get on their feet” to help comprehend the message further (Twitter). The Liberal Party makes use of these techniques to make its posts more enticing and influential. 

The Party’s tweet on September 23 is an example of how it uses reference sources to make its tweets more convincing. The post shows the government’s commitment to addressing vulnerable citizens’ urgent housing needs by its plan to invest $1 billion to develop more affordable and accessible housing in all affected areas (Twitter). The Party attaches an article by The Canadian Press that provides additional information regarding the entire strategy. The article dated September 21, 2020, describes how the Liberal Party spearheads the plan that would be completed in the next six months so housing providers and cities can purchase properties on sale because of the coronavirus outbreak and utilize them to protect vulnerable groups from being homeless (Twitter). Using such reference sources provides the audience with an opportunity to acquire more information about the issue.

Benefits of Using Social Media

The Liberal Party and others that use Twitter and other social media avenues prefer these avenues because of the advantages they gain, but it is essential to consider the possible demerits. The way the Party uses Twitter indicates that social media serves as a suitable avenue for crisis communication. Public information professionals must continue providing regular updates in unprecedented situations to an anxious public (Gagnon and Tanguay 390). The Canadian Prime Minister is an example of a leader who uses social media during this time of COVID-19 to communicate the information he thinks are essential to the nation and the Party’s stability. Social media platforms prove to be effective avenues for citizen participation. Engaging citizens make them happy and provide communicators with an avenue to keep them informed about issues and policies that matter to them (Gagnon and Tanguay 409). Other Twitter users are welcome to react to the Party’s posts, which happens through the comments and retweets. Networking sites allow communicators to be more transparent, and when one opens up, it is easier for the public to trust them. Moreover, social media gives users a chance to humanize their brand. Too often, people overlook the fact that there are real people behind government offices and organizations. Still, social media provides users with an opportunity to demonstrate the human aspect (Gagnon and Tanguay, 410). These gains compel the Party and others to use Twitter and other social media platforms to relay their agenda. Nonetheless, social media expose users to Internet harassment and other forms of cyberbullying. Moreover, it is not easy to ascertain the user’s true identity, making such interactive sites less secure. Thus, users should consider both the positive and negative aspects when using social media to pass a political agenda.

Conclusion

The study pays attention to Twitter’s use by the Liberal Party to relay politically-motivated direct and indirect messages. The Party takes advantage of technology that allows people to communicate without congregating in the same place as it happened in the past. The Party sends direct and indirect messages that address specific groups and use ethos and pathos, respectively. It uses various strategies to make the tweets more appealing, including authentic Party labels, images, videos, and reference sources. The party takes advantage of Twitter to transmit its plan and enjoys the benefits of social networking. Using social media enables the Liberal Party to communicate during crisis times, engage members of the public, and humanize their brand.

Works Cited

<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>Imagine if you couldn’t stay at home because you didn’t have one. Imagine facing this pandemic on the streets. That’s a reality for far too many people. And that’s why we’re investing over $1.2 billion to support Canadians experiencing homelessness. <a href=”https://t.co/4FzCWWNEsh”>https://t.co/4FzCWWNEsh</a> <a href=”https://t.co/7TtuGkEa7X”>pic.twitter.com/7TtuGkEa7X</a></p>&mdash; Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) <a href=”https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1308563790871564288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>September 23, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>

<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>Everyone deserves a safe place to call home. <br><br>To address the urgent housing needs of vulnerable Canadians, the Liberal government is investing $1 billion to secure more accessible and affordable housing from coast to coast to coast. <a href=”https://t.co/yyN9ResYrz”>https://t.co/yyN9ResYrz</a></p>&mdash; Liberal Party (@liberal_party) <a href=”https://twitter.com/liberal_party/status/1308543639820406784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>September 22, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>

<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>As Justice Minister, Finance Minister, Liberal Leader, Prime Minister, and as a committed citizen, John Turner dedicated his life to building a better Canada — and to the values that make our democracy strong.<br><br>Our condolences are with John’s loved ones. <a href=”https://t.co/As3YXrq1yX”>https://t.co/As3YXrq1yX</a></p>&mdash; Liberal Party (@liberal_party) <a href=”https://twitter.com/liberal_party/status/1307445941096583168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>September 19, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>

<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>Canadians deserve an ambitious plan for a healthier and safer Canada — a Canada that is fair, inclusive, clean, and competitive. <a href=”https://t.co/bUZoSKBQPz”>pic.twitter.com/bUZoSKBQPz</a></p>&mdash; Liberal Party (@liberal_party) <a href=”https://twitter.com/liberal_party/status/1307325772307271681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>September 19, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>

<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>Congratulations, <a href=”https://twitter.com/MarciIen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@MarciIen</a> – and welcome to the team! I know you’ll continue to work just as hard to build a more resilient and inclusive future for the people of Toronto Centre and beyond. <a href=”https://t.co/9Dr5vySsls”>https://t.co/9Dr5vySsls</a></p>&mdash; Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) <a href=”https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1306773187997376513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>September 18, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>

<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>For families beginning a school year like no other, the Liberal government has your back — with vital investments in a safe return to class for students and teachers, in affordable and quality child care, and in increased support with the <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/CanadaChildBenefit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#CanadaChildBenefit</a>. <a href=”https://t.co/ZnTj3HOjsl”>pic.twitter.com/ZnTj3HOjsl</a></p>&mdash; Liberal Party (@liberal_party) <a href=”https://twitter.com/liberal_party/status/1306343965059407873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>September 16, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>

<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>Justin Trudeau and the Liberal government will always stand up for Canadian workers, families, and businesses that rely on strong trade with our partners. 🇨🇦<br> <a href=”https://t.co/qyThQABLiU”>pic.twitter.com/qyThQABLiU</a></p>&mdash; Liberal Party (@liberal_party) <a href=”https://twitter.com/liberal_party/status/1305973117257478146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>September 15, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>

Gagnon, Alain and Tanguay Brian. Canadian Parties in Transition. University of Toronto Press, 2017.

Garrett, Kelly. “Social Media’s Contribution to Political Misperceptions in U.S. Presidential Elections.” PLoS ONE, vol.14, no. 3, 2019, e0213500.

Ahmad, Taufiq, Alvi Aima and Ittefaq Muhammad. “The Use of Social Media on Political Participation among University Students: An Analysis of Survey from Rural Pakistan.” SAGE Open, 2019,

https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244019864484 Accessed 23 September 2020.