Specialists: IT, social media transform electoral campaigns in Kuwait

KUWAIT, May 27 (KUNA) -- Candidates for the upcoming National Assembly elections opted for using IT tools and digital and social media to manage their campaigns, deliver their messages, better communicate with their voters, IT and digital media specialists have concurred.
Yasser Othman, head of the business development section at an IT firm, told KUNA Saturday that relying on information technology has become a major feature in electoral campaigns.
"IT tools help candidates ensure a better understanding of the voters' opinions and respond to their inquiries," he clarified, noting that the world has become more interconnected and people's use of social media networks is now an everyday routine.
He said candidates prefer digital advertisements for its ability to spread widely and reach voters in real time.
Othman pointed out the digital electoral campaigns differ according to the targeted audience, the issues which candidates want to focus on and the message they seek to deliver.
For her part, Aya Al-Taweel, director of the design and e-marketing section at an information technology company, told KUNA that most candidates heavily role on advertisements on social media platforms.
Al-Taweel highlighted the significant impact of social media on electoral campaigns.
"It provides the candidate with the opportunity to reach a broader and more diverse audience in cost-effective ways, in addition to the ability to directly interact with voters," Al-Taweel noted.
She added that the information technology had also facilitated making of opinion polls, using digital analytic tools and smart technology.
"These tools help collect data more accurately and provide insights into the opinions of voters," she clarified.
For his part, Ahmad Al-Mutairi, editor-in-chief of a digital newspaper, told KUNA that modern media, including electronic newspapers, provide an enormous amount of information that contributes to the shaping of voters' opinions and attitudes.
Al-Mutairi stated that anyone who follows the ongoing electoral campaigns note traditional electoral gatherings declined as the candidates rely on social media to deliver their messages directly and effectively.
He believed that electronic media plays a crucial role in improving public awareness and providing voters with necessary information to take their decision. (end) tms.ams.ibi