The rules are clear and tradition is strong in Norway. You don’t run a traditional election campaign on election day itself. The election act states that it is illegal to run an election campaign in the polling station itself. On election day 11 September, it is also not allowed to try to herd voters into the room that you have to go through to get to the polling station itself. It has also been the culture to downplay the election campaign after the polls open on election day. But in social media it is free, even on the big day. The law says nothing about whether it is legal or not to advertise on Facebook, Instagram or other social networks on the day of the election. Is it okay to campaign on social media on election day? – A democratic challenge In connection with the previous parliamentary election, rules for digital election campaigning were called for, but little has happened. In the 2021 election, the analysis agency Analyze & Tall followed the election campaign on Facebook and other social media. On election day, they saw hundreds of political ads that were active. – It is disturbing. It is a real democratic challenge we have in Norway that we have not dealt with, says Håvard Lundberg. He is an analyst at Analyse & Tall, which conducts, among other things, analyzes of democracy and social media. Håvard Lundberg in Analysis & Numbers Photo: Magent/Colin Eick the law states that it is not allowed to carry out political agitation in the polling station on election day. But when everyone has the whole world available in their pocket, even inside the voting booth itself, today’s society faces a law adapted to the time before Facebook, Lundberg believes. – It is obvious that the law was made in a different time. There have been major changes in a short time that we have not taken a stand on, says Lundberg. – Technological developments present us with many new dilemmas. We need the political parties to agree on how social media should be used in the election campaign. – I don’t see the problem that Lundberg does not get the support of political scientist Dag Arne Christensen, who was, among other things, a member of the election law committee, which in 2020 submitted its proposal for a new election law in Norway. Day Arne Christensen in NORCE Photo: Rokkansenteret He does not see it as a problem that election campaigns are conducted on social media on election day. – This is something people themselves open on their phone. The whole point of an election is to be able to lead an election campaign, says Christensen, and continues. – Research shows that some people are uncertain right to the end. After all, campaigning is about influencing and bringing out a message that people either go for or don’t go for, he says. This answers the party So, can you expect to see campaign posts in your feed on September 11? Yes. news has sent an e-mail to the nine parties in the Storting (outside of the Patient Focus list) with questions about how they stand for election campaigns in social media on election day, whether they bought ads on election day in 2021 and whether they will do the same this year. Basically, one answer goes: “That’s fine, and I’m going to run an election campaign on social media on election day”. You can read the answer here: The party on election campaign in social media on election day Raudt: – The central point of election freedom, as we understand it, is about not disturbing people in the time just before they are going to vote or in the polling station itself, says Iver Johansen Aastebøl , responsible for social media and campaigns in Raudt, and continues: – But in social media it has been common for activity from the party right up to local bars, and I see no problem with that. Left: – It is not illegal, and there has not been a discussion about making it illegal. Election campaign is to give voters information about the party’s position. It is an important part of democracy, says Thomas Tangen, head of press and communications in Venstre. Ap: – Yes, on election days we share content and advertise as usual until the polling station closes, says Kjersti Stenseng, party secretary in the Labor Party. She emphasizes that this applies to the party centrally, and that local and county councils make their own assessments. SV: – We will let the ads run until election day. This for several reasons – the most important one is that several other parties are doing this, and then “I can’t let it be” done. Social media have changed how an election campaign is conducted, and the former “election peace” has been watered down. On election day, certain other parties choose to stand outside the polling station and hand out lists, something that many perceive as more intrusive than advertisements on social media, says Kristian Fjellanger, election campaign manager at SV. The Center Party: – We did not buy ads on social media on election day in 2021, nor will we do so this year, says Tone Høiland Ween in the Center Party. MDG: – Yes. We do not distinguish between the last election day and all the election days before that. A lot of people are voting these days at the same time as me campaigning. MDG runs the election campaign on digital platforms right up until the polls close at 9pm on Monday 11 September. We think it is not only OK, but necessary and important for democracy. Our message is to vote for the MDGs, but also to use the right to vote, says Torkild Vederhus, party secretary. Framstegspartiet: – The Framstegspartiet adheres to current laws and regulations which state that election campaign activities are also legal on election day, as long as it is not in connection with the election process, says Helge Fossum, assistant general secretary. Right: – It would be artificial to stop the election campaign on social media before 11 September. We wish to inform the voters. The election campaign has changed, now there is an election day every day for the last month, and then the party has also changed the way it runs the election campaign, says Daniel Torkildsen Lea, head of communications at Høgre. Not all parties have responded to the inquiry. Calling for clarification – But don’t people have a choice themselves? Can’t they just stop watching the ads right before they vote? – Yes, absolutely, says Lundberg in Analyse & Tall, and continues: – I don’t know if this is a big problem, but I think it is important that we start the discussion and talk about the role social media play in our democracy. I think that will strengthen confidence in the implementation of the election and in democracy, he says.
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The election campaign can continue on Facebook on election day – news Vestland
