Public opinion is significantly shaped by the online political environment. Considering the fact that it holds a bad ordeal and is vulnerable to reputational risks, with the platform acting as a policy promotion and constituent engagement for politicians.
Smear campaigns are also referred to as ‘asymmetric attacks’. Which, in theory, targets anyone. Most of the time, powerful people initiate the first attack; on the other hand, governing bodies with state media outlets under their control are also said to use this tactic to target other groups.
Flashback to a year ago, the head of Department of Transportation Jaime Jimenez Bautista has already been the target of slander and intrigues while rivals competed for the highly sought-after seat. Unluckily, the attacks continued– focusing on claims of corruption in specific agencies. All of these illicit acts were meant to prevent Secretary Bautista from carrying out his duties, which included eradicating the rooted interest in numerous schemes aimed at making money in the various transportation department agencies.
In his 16 months in office, Secretary Bautista has come across significant resistance to his initiatives to reduce the costs of the long-delayed supply of IDs and LTO license plates. In the same way, individuals who wish to profit more from government assets while keeping the government’s lease and rental rates extremely low are hindering his efforts to correct the restrictive lease terms for the airport hangars, concession areas, and properties.
However, managing these smear campaigns could be quite the hassle. And as a result, here are the 4 effective methods to seal the smear:
- Determine which is Constructive and Destructive
- Don’t Give Into Their Deception
- Choose your Battles Wisely
- Limit Unnecessary Communication
PHOTO COURTESY: Shopify
INFO SOURCE: https://www.shopify.com/ph/blog/campaign-management-software
https://topicseed.com/guides/online-reputation-management-for-politicians
NEWS SOURCE: https://www.philstar.com/business/2023/10/13/2303235/smear-campaign
