Why a clear plan and a clear message still cut through the bots
Politicians flooded with aggressive and misleading comments online can still cut through, Ben Guerin told The Sunday Telegraph. His advice: a clear plan and a clear message that resonate with voters rise above the noise. MPs had reported a surge in hostile comments on their pages in recent months.
- Publication
- The Sunday Telegraph (Sydney)
- By
- Linda Silmalis
- Published
- 26 July 2026
- Type
- Press coverage
- Topics
-
- political communication
- political social media
- Australian politics
- AI
Key points
- MPs reported a surge in overtly aggressive or misleading comments on their profiles in recent months
- Experts say AI bots have supercharged the old problem of fake accounts, many of them based overseas
- Ben Guerin: bots are something his team keeps an eye on
- Politicians with a clear message and a plan that resonates with voters can rise above the noise
Read the full article at The Sunday Telegraph (Sydney)Multiple MPs have told The Sunday Telegraph they have noticed a surge in overtly aggressive or misleading comments on their online profiles in recent months with thousands of comments typical in the lead-up to an election.
However, one MP conceded little could be done beyond moderating and blocking posts.
“The best strategy is to have a clear plan and a clear message.”
Ben Guerin
Questions & answers
How can politicians cut through hostile comments online?
Ben Guerin told The Sunday Telegraph that politicians with a clear plan and a clear message that resonate with voters can rise above the noise, even when their pages are flooded with aggressive or misleading comments.