SINGAPORE: As political parties campaigned during General Election 2020, first-time voter Mr Yap Zheng Yi, 26, often found himself sifting through a variety of offerings on social media. The election was held amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with physical rallies and mass gatherings banned, and so it was touted as one that would be largely fought online. Mr Yap got his election news through articles from the mainstream and alternative media, memes and viral videos, as well as widely shared, well-written observations by people online. Facebook’s algorithms meant he barely saw content from the parties or candidates themselves.
10 Jul 2020
