Flash Impression Voting – When electoral decisions are based on a faint social media memory

In the voting booth, amidst the weighty silence of the decisive moment, many of us face a flicker of hesitation. The ballot paper lists names and parties - some familiar, others less so. Some we despise, others we barely know. For an alarming number of voters, that moment of reflection is replaced by a faint memory: a TikTok video, a meme shared on Facebook, or an Instagram post. 

The recent election results in Romania have shocked the political scene. Călin Georgescu (CG), a political outsider until recently but a name sporadically mentioned in Romanian politics, managed to secure victory through an unexpected and largely overlooked campaign predominantly conducted on TikTok. CG claims he has spent no money for his political campaign. Pretty impossible, isn't it?

A voter testimony on Reddit caught my attention. The voter admits that he went into the booth wanting to invalidate his vote but then he took a glimpse at the list of candidates and noticed Calin Georgescu there. He had heard his name somewhere on TikTok at some point and for some reason he voted for him. The voter stated “I am ashamed and disgusted with myself”.

I’ve been thinking how we can conceptualize this phenomenon and I came up with the term “FLASH IMPRESSION VOTING”—a voting decision driven by a short, often superficial, memory from social media. To me, it occurs when people use mental shortcuts to make decisions quickly without deep analysis. The vague memory of social media content acts as a cognitive shortcut to decide who to vote for.

Algorithms steering democracy

Social media has become the primary battleground for political campaigns. Candidates no longer need to convince voters through debates or well-articulated platforms. Instead, they must be memorable, relatable, and, most importantly, viral. A short video of a politician dancing to a popular trend or delivering a witty joke can have more impact on a voter than a one-hour speech.

Platforms like TikTok and Instagram operate on the principle of limited attention spans. Their algorithms prioritize content that triggers emotional reactions - be it amusement or outrage. In this context, voting is no longer the outcome of fact-based analysis but a reflex shaped by flash impressions - those brief, emotionally charged memories from digital encounters linked to a face an a name.

A symptom of disillusionment

Flash Impression Voting reflects voters’ frustration with traditional parties. Many citizens enter the voting booth determined to invalidate their vote - a silent protest against the status quo. Yet, in that split second, a familiar name from a viral video becomes an unexpected solution. It’s not necessarily a conscious choice but a reflex—an outcome of repeated exposure to that name in the digital space. The vote uses a cognitive shortcut to take a voting decision.

This dynamic is dangerous, as it transforms the democratic process into a popularity contest. It no longer matters who has an economic plan or a grasp of geopolitics; what matters is who can generate the most likes and shares and how often your face and name pops up on voters' screens.

Saving democracy from superficiality?

1. Digital-age electoral education Voters must learn to recognize algorithmic influences and develop critical thinking skills to analyze political information. Schools should include lessons on how social media impacts decision-making as part of digital literacy.
2. Regulating social media campaigns Digital platforms must become more transparent about how they promote political content. Sponsored campaigns should also be clearly labeled, so voters are aware when they are the target of influence strategies.
3. Encouraging substantial political discourse Politicians and parties need to return to the core of campaigns: debating ideas. Social media can be a useful platform but should not be the sole space for building a candidate's image.

Democracy requires more than reflexes; it demands reflection. Voters must reclaim their role as critical actors in the democratic process, not just passive spectators of a digital show.