“Stolen Election”

The spread of the “stolen election” narrative, particularly surrounding the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election, was a notable example of how fake news can propagate quickly through social media platforms. This narrative falsely claimed that the election was rigged or fraudulent, with former President Donald Trump and his supporters promoting it as the reason for his loss to Joe Biden. Here’s how the “stolen election” narrative was amplified on social media:

1. Key Players in Spreading the Narrative

   • Political Figures and Influencers: High-profile figures, including Donald Trump himself, played a central role in spreading the claim of election fraud. Trump’s tweets, often questioning the integrity of mail-in ballots and alleging election rigging, were widely shared. He claimed, without evidence, that the election was being “stolen” in various swing states.
   • Conservative News Outlets: Certain right-wing media outlets, like Fox, OANN (One America News Network) and Newsmax, played a significant role in reinforcing and disseminating the stolen election narrative. They pushed unverified stories about alleged voter fraud and irregularities, and these were then shared widely on social media platforms.
   • Far-right Groups and Influencers: Groups like QAnon, The Proud Boys, and other conspiracy theorists were active in spreading these claims, amplifying them through their social media networks. Many far-right influencers leveraged platforms like Parler, Twitter, Facebook, and Gab to stoke distrust in the electoral process.

2. Key Methods of Propagation

   • Hashtags and Trending Topics: Hashtags like #StopTheSteal, #Fraud2020, and #ElectionFraud gained enormous traction on platforms like Twitter and Facebook. These hashtags were often accompanied by misleading content, such as selectively edited videos, unverified allegations, and false claims about voter irregularities.
     #StopTheSteal became one of the most popular and organized campaigns to promote the false narrative, attracting millions of shares and engagement across various platforms. It encouraged users to demand that the results of the 2020 election be overturned.
   • Echo Chambers and Filter Bubbles: Social media algorithms, which prioritize content that users are likely to engage with, played a role in amplifying the narrative. Users who already supported Trump or were inclined to believe in conspiracy theories were exposed to more content reinforcing the stolen election narrative. These echo chambers intensified the spread of misinformation because users only saw content that aligned with their beliefs. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Parler, and Gab had communities of like-minded individuals sharing similar content, which reinforced the belief in election fraud.
   • Memes, Videos, and Visual Content: Memes and videos became key tools in spreading disinformation. For example, memes claiming that dead people voted, videos showing supposedly fraudulent activities at polling stations (which were later debunked), and infographics misrepresenting election laws or results were widely circulated.
     Viral videos, such as one purporting to show poll workers in Georgia pulling out suitcases of fake ballots (which was debunked), gained millions of views and spread rapidly through platforms like YouTube and Facebook.
   • Bots and Social Media Automation: Social botnets (automated networks of fake accounts) were used to amplify the narrative, artificially inflating the engagement around certain posts or hashtags. These bots retweeted, liked, and shared content promoting the stolen election narrative, making it appear more popular and credible than it actually was. Researchers found that many of the accounts pushing #StopTheSteal were automated or part of coordinated disinformation campaigns.
   • Disinformation Campaigns by Foreign Actors: Foreign actors, particularly Russia, were believed to have played a role in amplifying the stolen election narrative. Russian disinformation campaigns, similar to those seen during the 2016 election, aimed to deepen political divisions in the U.S. by amplifying misleading claims of voter fraud. State-sponsored trolls and bot accounts were active in amplifying the narrative on platforms like Twitter and Facebook, further stoking tensions around the legitimacy of the election.

3. Role of Alternative Platforms

   As mainstream platforms like Twitter and Facebook began to flag or remove content about election fraud, many users migrated to alternative platforms like Parler, Gab, and Telegram, which had fewer restrictions on speech. These platforms became havens for conspiracy theories, where users could freely spread and amplify the stolen election narrative without facing content moderation. Parler, in particular, saw a huge surge in users and was widely used by Trump supporters and far-right groups to organize protests and share misinformation.

4. Influence of User-generated Content

   A major driver of the stolen election narrative was user-generated content on platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Users created thousands of posts claiming to have witnessed or discovered evidence of voter fraud. Many of these claims were anecdotal, based on misunderstandings of the electoral process, but they were treated as proof of fraud by others. Social media allowed these stories to spread rapidly, often going viral within hours of being posted. Many of these posts were shared by influential figures, further increasing their reach.

5. Disinformation Loops with Traditional Media

   False claims on social media often crossed over into traditional media, creating disinformation loops. For example, a false claim about ballot tampering might start on Twitter, be picked up by a conservative news outlet like OANN or Newsmax, and then spread back to social media with even more reach. This feedback loop helped legitimize baseless claims, as many users assumed that if a news outlet was reporting it, it must be true.

6. Offline Mobilization: Stop the Steal Rallies

   The “Stop the Steal” social media campaign transitioned from online disinformation to offline mobilization, leading to rallies and protests across the country, culminating in the January 6th Capitol Riot. Organizers used social media to plan and coordinate protests, where participants believed they were defending the democratic process by protesting the “stolen” election. These offline actions demonstrated the real-world impact of disinformation campaigns that originated and spread through social media.

7. Platform Responses

   In response to the spread of the stolen election narrative, platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube began to take more aggressive action to curb disinformation. Twitter, for instance, flagged or removed Trump’s tweets about election fraud, while Facebook removed groups like “Stop the Steal” for violating its policies on misinformation.
   However, these measures were criticized by some as coming too late, as the false claims had already gained widespread traction by the time platforms intervened.

The spread of the stolen election narrative was a case study in how social media can be weaponized to spread disinformation. High-profile figures, bots, echo chambers, memes, and alternative platforms all played a role in creating and amplifying the false claims of voter fraud. Despite efforts by social media companies to contain the spread, the damage was done, contributing to deep divisions and mistrust in the U.S. electoral system, culminating in the Capitol Riot on January 6, 2021.