Column – We have become accustomed to companies selectively showing us their advertisements based on data. It has not yet reached the point where one person receives a completely different offer than another. Although you can expect that. For example, a distinction can be made based on what you have previously purchased from a webshop and for what amount. The fact that the political parties are now also moving in that direction is rather precarious.
Due to corona, parties are not allowed to organize meetings. Handing out flyers on the street is also not an obvious choice. This has led to the political parties now also 'discovering' the internet and social media. Now it appears that those parties have found partners who do understand very well how the digital world works.
But is it ethical to use these selective techniques for political purposes? What can happen now fax lists is that with the help of parties such as Google, Facebook or Twitter, and the data they have on the voters, selections are made. The advertisements for the election programs are then tailored by the parties to the characteristics of these selections.