The Propagandists' Playbook: How Conservative Elites Manipulate Search and Threaten Democracy

by Francesca Bolla Tripodi

An examination of what algorithmic polarization means for society and how conservative elites use media literacy tactics to spread propaganda

The Propagandists’ Playbook peels back the layers of the right-wing media manipulation machine to reveal why its strategies are so effective and pervasive, while also humanizing the people whose worldviews and media practices conservatism embodies. Based on interviews and ethnographic observations of two Republican groups over the course of the 2017 Virginia gubernatorial race—including the author’s firsthand experience of the 2017 Unite the Right rally—the book considers how Google algorithms, YouTube playlists, pundits, and politicians can manipulate audiences, reaffirm beliefs, and expose audiences to more extremist ideas, blurring the lines between reality and fiction. Francesca Tripodi argues that conservatives who embody the Christian worldview give authoritative weight to original texts and interrogate the media using the same tools taught to them in Bible study—for example, using Google to “fact check” the news. The result of this practice, tied to conservative marketing tactics, is more than a reaffirmation of existing beliefs: it is a radicalization of content and a changing of narratives adopted by the media. Tripodi also demonstrates the pervasiveness of white supremacy in the conservative media ecosystem, as well as its mainstream appeal, scope, and spread.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Audiobook

288 pages, Hardcover

First published August 16, 2022

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a decent book with some good ethnographic research and coverage that verifies much of what has been said so far about the conservative media system, but it adds the dimension of how certain keywords people place in search engines determine the output. Similarly, the book furthers the line of research that challenges search engines as neutral platforms. This is all good. The main value is adding these ideas to a decent general summary of the other research done in this area. The ethnographic bits are interesting, but they don't add much to what other researchers have said.

One other important point is how scriptural inference guides many Evangelical conservatives' notion of research and textual analysis. Tripodi writes, "Conservatives also believe truth to be self-evident, rarely considering the hidden, latent, or subtextual meanings of what they read." Matter of fact, complexity is often viewed as flawed or somehow dishonest by not presenting reality "as it is." This is valuable in understanding many rallies and "analysis" found on Fox News, Newsmax, and Breitbart.

The book can be a bit dryly written at moments and needs some editing. We often hear the same examples in different formats throughout various chapters. The seven chapters should have been consolidated into less so ideas could have been condensed in a more concise fashion. Also, the book offers A LOT of descriptive analysis of Far Right videos, articles, speeches, etc. Much of this could have been summarized quicker rather than going into depth for every single example when the point has already been made.

The book's focus on racism in structuring many conservative beliefs is needed but slightly reductive by not taking into account other concerns particularly anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, which permeates much of the recent iteration of the movement. The are other issues like class as well that don't get addressed much. The problem is that different conservative ideas are deployed differently to different demographics. What is going to speak to white Evangelicals is not exactly what is going to speak to a conservative Cuban community. Of course, there are some through lines of these ideas between different constituencies. But there are some important variations as well.

[Sarah Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting look at how search optimization is used as a tool for reinforcing political bias, written BY a fellow information scientist rather than a political pundit! I find the conservative party's grasp over creating buzzy phrases and seeding them throughout their ecosystem to be both scary and impressive ("build the wall", "lock her up", "stop the steal", etc.). This book taught me how intentional their keyword seeding actually is, and that their urges to "do your own research" is highly effective messaging for people who come from a Protestant background of self-led Scriptural analysis. The catch is that a search for a conservative-manufactured catchphrase (like "stop the steal") will largely turn up conservative results that reinforce the individual's confirmation bias. And yet, because those biased results were gathered through "doing their own research", people are inclined to see them as more trustworthy than information dispensed by experts in the media.

Such a good reminder that our political "rivals" are not inherently less intelligent; we've just developed very different patterns for information seeking and these tend to reinforce our fundamental beliefs about what is/isn't trustworthy!

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's going to take me a while to process this one...

[Lukáš Zorád · Rating 4 out of 5]

All you need to know about the current conservative scene in the US, their tactics and flirting with conspiracies and disinformation scene. Sadly. The author visited rallies, meetings, sermons, made interviews openly as a researcher. No hiding.

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, but spent the entire thing searching for what I was probably looking for that was just not in this read. Author walked right up with details and then veered off course.