The threats astroturfing has on democracy

Rewriting history: In the Philippines, a well-crafted social media campaign that focused on changing the historical narrative of the Marcos regime helped the dictator’s family to return to power. — Photos: AFP

IN 2022, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr won the Philippines presidential election and became its 17th president. His win was celebrated despite the fact his father, Ferdinand Marcos Sr, was overthrown by the People Power Revolution in 1986 after 20 years of dictatorship.

The Marcos family’s return to power was strongly attributed to a well-crafted social media campaign that focused on changing the historical narrative of the Marcos regime. Marcos Jr targeted younger voters who never experienced his father’s martial law, focusing on whitewashing his father’s crimes and reframing many of his oppressive policies as being beneficial to the public.