Microtargeting and Voters’ Unawareness: Experimental Results

van Gils, Freek, Müller, Wieland and Prüfer, Jens (2026) Microtargeting and Voters’ Unawareness: Experimental Results. European Journal of Political Economy. ISSN 0176-2680

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Abstract

Due to technological innovation, political interest groups sending messages via news platforms have the ability to (i) microtarget news based on individual-level voter data and (ii) obfuscate their identities, which can be exploited to spread disinformation. We experimentally study the implementation of two proposed interventions in the laboratory, aiming to prevent election manipulation by disinformation in various media environments. We find that mandatory disclosure of interests, with or without a microtargeting ban, increases the efficiency of aggregate voter decision-making. However, only the combination of disclosure of interests and a microtargeting ban mitigates sender influence in this stylized voting environment. The implementation of a microtargeting ban without disclosure requirements has adverse effects.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Data availability: Data will be made available on request.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	disinformation,social media,voting,microtargeting,disclosure of interests,laboratory experiments
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Social Sciences > School of Economics
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Industrial Economics Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Economic Theory Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Centres > Centre for Competition Policy
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	02 Jun 2026 09:45
Last Modified:	02 Jun 2026 09:47
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/103226
DOI:	10.1016/j.ejpoleco.2026.102853

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