Comms Issues Management for the 2020 Global Primary
It's much easier to address potential issues before they become a crisis. Global comms and leadership will be available to help throughout the week of the primary for urgent comms issues that may arise.
The most important things are to remain calm and to communicate internally early and often.
1. If something happens that could potentially result in negative coverage or significant social media activity, notify leadership:
- chair@democratsabroad.org
- comms@democratsabroad.org
- gpp@democratsabroad.org
- Your CC Chair and Vice Chair, and your RVC
Try to explain the seriousness of the issue and the likelihood of whether the issue will spread (ie "go viral" or result in negative media coverage). Depending on the size of your CC, you may also need to notify your national leadership.
It is important to tell global leadership not just so we can help, but also because situations that start locally can easily spread to global social pages/media, and by the time we hear about it from other sources, it may be too late to easily manage.
Serious comms crisis? Call +49 15901910686
2. From a communications perspective, the most likely next step will simply be to monitor the issue closely. Here's the kind of thing you're looking for:
| Definitely an issue or likely to become one (Discuss action plan with leadership and follow this plan) | Questionable (Notify leadership) | Standard (Worth addressing but not a crisis) |
|---|---|---|
You learn protestors or other noisy crowds plan on disrupting your voting center or A negative situation or issue "jumps" – from one place to another, one audience segment to another, one medium to another, etc. Ex: Situation on Facebook spreads to Instagram ("Did you see this? I saw it on Facebook...") Ex: Situation in one location spreads to another ("Hey DA Canada supporters - I was kicked out of the Munich polling station for chanting my candidate's name. The party is trying to silence us! Use your voice!") Ex: Rumors that started out as text-only posts escalate and users are posting selfie videos to share "the truth" | Significant social media trolling/negative conversations about the specific situation at hand (eg, posting about protests outside a polling station, not just general trolls on social media). or Users posting negatively about DA or the global primary on their own pages and platforms, instead of just commenting on DA pages. or Users encouraging each other to share negative content about DA/VFA/GPP. | Internet trolls |
Additional media picking up on the initial negative story or Blatant "fake news" | Negative media coverage. or Any media enquiry on a negative situation about DA. | Inaccuracies in media coverage |
3. When an issue needs to be addressed, transparently take something "offline" (out of public eye). For example, on social media, if there is a complaint that is worth addressing, respond by saying, "Hi, XX! Let's discuss how we can fix this. We've just sent you a DM for more info."
4. Don't let them see you sweat. If you respond emotionally, it will likely only add fuel to the fire. Be the adults in the room.
5. How to deal with social media trolls? Check out slides 41 and 51-53 here
6. Urgent issue or crisis related to comms? Email the contacts listed above, and/or text/whatsapp/call +49 15901910686
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