As more and more candidates join the fray for the upcoming municipal elections, charges and counter-charges, innuendos, insinuations and unsubstantiated allegations are filling the space on social media.
As a result, at least one incumbent councillor standing for re-election has threatened to ban rivals – and those campaigning on behalf of rivals – from using his social media pages to post campaign messages.
The move has drawn charges of “gatekeeping democracy”.
“I know it is early days in the municipal election campaign but we are already seeing some disturbing trends start to occur,” says Councillor Brian Nicholson of Ward 5 Oshawa and Durham Council. “I fully expect those seeking to unseat incumbent members of council are going try to show how they are different and how they can do a better job in the position. That is the normal part of campaigning and elections.”
However, Nicholson said the growing number of personal attacks on individuals, their families, their character and the growing number of unsubstantiated charges of racism, sexism, and corruption are beyond the pale.
Show Respect & Campaign Civilly
“If you are a candidate for office in this municipal election, please do not campaign on my councillor’s page or on my personal page on FB without prior permission,” Nicholson went on to say. “I will respect your pages by not campaigning on them.”
He warned those not following these rules will see their access to the pages removed. “My pages are not platforms for your campaigning or attacks on myself or others. Please show respect and campaign civilly. This prohibition also applies to those campaigning for candidates.”
Gatekeeping Democracy
John Meloche, group administrator of Eyes on Durham Facebook page, disagrees.
He said over the years, many local community groups have blocked people. Sometimes for fair reasons. Sometimes because things got heated. Sometimes because personalities clashed. Sometimes, frankly, because group admins did not like what someone had to say.
But now some of those same people may be official municipal election candidates. That changes the situation, he pointed out.
“I am calling on every local community group administrator to take a hard look at their blocked lists and ask a simple question: Are any official candidates running in your community currently blocked from your group? If they are, you should seriously consider unblocking them, inviting them back, and making your election-period posting rules clear, public, and fair,” he said.
Voice For All
Meloche said you do not have to like every candidate. You do not have to agree with every candidate. You do not have to personally support what they stand for.
“But if you run a major local community group during an election, you should not be quietly deciding which candidates get access to residents and which candidates do not. That is not community moderation. That is gatekeeping democracy,” he said.
Civility Matters
He agreed that group safety matters. Civility matters. “I understand that completely. I have removed people from spaces before, and I understand why admins sometimes have to make difficult calls. But an election is different.”
During a municipal election, the goal should be more voter awareness, more participation, more access, and more opportunity for residents to hear directly from the people asking for their vote, said Meloche. “It is not the job of a Facebook group administrator to decide which official candidates the community gets to hear from.
Should Political Debate Be Restricted?
Oshawa Council, Then and Now, on its Facebook page has asked: “Should candidates and elected officials restrict political debate on their social media platforms?
It said it is widely known that many of those running for office will employ proxies (supporters) to post comments on other candidates’ Facebook pages – in an effort to get their message out without being seen to personally antagonize their opponent.
The group admin acknowledged that proliferation of fake Facebook accounts, nicknames, and aliases being used to hide users’ actual family names has, at times, rendered the situation a veritable free-for-all without personal accountability.
It said restricting, or even banning access to many of those social media accounts is entirely appropriate when things get out of hand, including harassment or vulgarity.
“The question remains, however… should known candidates or other elected officials be restricted from commenting?” the post asked.
Is It Censorship?
“Here at Oshawa Council Then and Now, we support all that councillor Nicholson is doing on behalf of his constituents, and he is undoubtedly someone who is well liked in his community. At the same time, he has publicly raised an issue that some may describe as censorship, and that is a topic worth talking about – particularly during an election year,” the post said.
It asked are such restrictions simply an attempt to stifle debate? Are they an indicator of an unwillingness to defend certain positions taken, or voting patterns that are on the public record? Is it a matter of clever politics to avoid giving one’s opponents too much of a platform so close to home?
“Time will tell as to the nature of the public’s response to councillor Nicholson’s having thrown down the gauntlet on what constitutes acceptable debate,” the post said.