Here’s How the U.K. General Election is Playing out on YouTube

In the coming weeks, we’ll look at how the parties and politicians are using online video to get out their message. First up: YouTube

Chris Stokel-Walker
FFWD

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Image: Element5 Digital/Unsplash and Chris Stokel-Walker

Read a British newspaper or log on to a news website and you’ll learn about how the 2019 U.K. general election, held on December 12th, is “the first social media election”. While the previous three elections have also been dubbed the first social media vote, this time it might actually be true.

But while most news coverage is oddly fixated on a campaign of micro-targeted advertising that tech-literate Westminster hacks are willing into being, rather than is actually happening, there’s a much more interesting battle being fought on unpaid social media.

For those just joining us, FFWD is Medium’s publication focused on online video. We’re deeply embedded in the world of YouTube, TikTok, Twitch and others — including Facebook and Instagram video — and able to identify the trends and movements as they occur.

And I’m its editor, Chris Stokel-Walker, author of YouTubers: How YouTube shook up TV and created a new generation of stars, and a freelance journalist for a number of publications, who is often asked on TV and radio to explain how YouTube and…

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