Data: General Election fuels rise in objectionable online content
July 4, 2024
DoubleVerify (DV), the software platform for digital media measurement, data and analytics, has revealed findings from the DV Election Task Force. The data reveals there was a 55 per cent increase in the rate of Inflammatory Politics and News (IPN) in the content DV measures on May 22nd, the day UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed the date of the 2024 General Election.
DV’s Election Task Force is dedicated to protecting global advertisers as they navigate an online news cycle dominated by the 2024 elections. With over four billion people voting across the globe this year, the DV Election Task Force tracks election-related topics and identifies inflammatory content, including conspiracies and AI-amplified controversies. This initiative helps global advertisers understand online content trends influenced by elections, enabling them to better protect their brand reputations and ensure their advertising investment does not inadvertently fund harmful content.
Findings include:
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In addition to the announcement of the General Election, other significant events that led to a substantial increase in High-Risk Hate Speech and Cyberbullying (HRHS) in 2024 in the content DV measures included those related to the Israel-Hamas War, which has seen increases in HRHS of up to 145 per cent, as well as a 179 per cent spike on February 28th following allegations of antisemitism and islamophobia between the Conservative and Labour Parties.
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In 2022, the UK experienced a prolonged surge in IPN and HRHS violations, corresponding with stories surrounding the ‘Partygate; scandal, then Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s resignation, the Conservative leadership contest, Liz Truss’ time in government, and Sunak’s appointment as PM, which saw a 26 per cent increase in IPN on that day.
Despite the spikes witnessed in 2024, the average rates for both IPN and HRHS for the content DV measures have decreased as compared with previous years.
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The IPN rate dropped 38 per cent in the first 5 months of 2024 compared with the last five months of 2023.
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Meanwhile, the HRHS rate was down by 71 per cent in the first quarter of 2024 compared with the same period last year.
This decrease in IPN and HRHS for the content DV measures may be tied to the growing use of pre-bid protections, which allow advertisers to apply brand safety and suitability controls before a bid is placed. DV’s 2024 Global Insight Report found that in 2023, there was a 41 per cent increase in the usage of Authentic Brand Suitability (ABS) year over year.
“Election seasons often lead to a surge of objectionable online content,” said Dan Slivjanovski, CMO at DoubleVerify. “These trends potentially impact advertisers, whose brand reputation and campaign performance can be negatively affected by poor alignment between ads and content. We are committed to empowering advertisers with the insights and tools they need to make informed decisions – safeguarding their brand equity and fostering a high-performing digital ecosystem based on transparency and trust.”
When ads are placed alongside problematic or untrustworthy content, it can tarnish a brand’s reputation, diminish ad performance and, ultimately, affect the advertiser’s bottom line. In previous research, DV found that 67 per cent of consumers would be likely to stop using a brand or product that is advertised beside objectionable or inflammatory content.
Marketers are dealing with election cycles worldwide, including an upcoming election in France and another slated for later this year in the US. The DV Election Task Force reported a rise in inflammatory content and hate speech in the US by 15 per cent and 22 per cent respectively, between January and February 2024 alone. It’s crucial for marketers to ensure that their brands are protected globally in this volatile climate. In the EMEA region, 61 per cent of marketers indicated that they are at least somewhat concerned about navigating political news cycles in 2024, according to DV’s 2024 Global Insight Report. Moreover, with the unprecedented political influence that AI-generated content will have this year, navigating this landscape will require careful management.