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Re:Facebook Tweaks Its 'Trending Topics' Algorithm to Better... by leereeves on Friday January 27, 2017 @01:51AM (#13498209)
In 2008 and 2012, Obama pioneered the use of A/B testing to refine campaign messages. "175,000 distinct test variations" sounds like a more ambitious effort at the same strategy.

And targeting relevant information at wavering voters seems like a common strategy in 2016. House of Cards had both fictional Presidential candidates doing something similar in their fictional election, and Bloomberg once wrote "[Hillary's] campaign is looking to build on the digital engagement strategy devised by the Obama team, customizing the messages e-mailed to the estimated 8.6 million people on its list to make them as personal as possible."

Re:Facebook Tweaks Its 'Trending Topics' Algorithm to Better... by humanrebar on Friday January 27, 2017 @04:11AM (#13498623)
Yeah, these tactics are nothing new. It's not like older techniques like get-out-the-vote buses were careful to be bipartisan. As long as Americans are resolute in their opinions and uninterested in facts and open discourse, campaigns will be focusing of scaring them into turning out or disgusting them so they stay home.