Online behaviors ahead of the 2024 US presidential election

The 2024 U.S. presidential election is within our sights. But as we go through the motions of a traditional election cycle, it’s clear that this year is unique. With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and targeted political ads, the Internet has a much larger role in the 2024 election than in years past.

But what are the implications of this? How do these trends stand to impact voters on November 5th? To glean a better understanding of these trends and Americans’ online behaviors ahead of the election, Cassie surveyed hundreds of registered voters from across the country.

The Privacy at the polls: US 2024 election report revealed the extent to which the Internet, targeted ads, and AI influence voters. Let’s explore.

How do voters use the internet?

The World Wide Web offers a number of opportunities for voters to become more informed about the causes they care about and the candidates they support. Eighty-five percent of respondents told Cassie they use the Internet to engage in politics, and six in ten have visited a political news site in the past 12 months.

Social media in particular has an increasingly important role to play. Thirty-five percent of respondents follow political pages on social media, and a third follow the profiles of individual candidates. Note: Republicans were 23% more likely than Democrats to say they follow candidates’ profiles on social media.

But the Internet isn’t just a source of information. It’s also a catalyst for Americans who wish to exercise their right to vote: 43% of respondents told us they registered to vote online, with members of Gen Z 40% more likely than average to do so.

The Internet’s ability to simplify processes like gathering information and registering to vote is a boon to everyday Americans. But it’s not all sunshine and roses – and many voters aren’t sufficiently well-versed in data privacy, leaving much of their personal information at risk. Four in ten of those who engage in politics online told Cassie they rarely or never consider how the political sites they visit use their personal data, and Republicans were 67% more likely than Democrats to say so.

As we inch closer and closer to Election Day, it’s critical to boost awareness around the rise of tactics like targeted political ads and AI-generated content. Voters need to understand how their data is being used and how the digital materials they consume influence their choices.