Elections and Social Media: Parties Must Find Common Ground on Countering False Information

Editorial

14:00 JST, January 13, 2026

False and other illicit information has spread on social media, repeatedly affecting election results at both the national and local levels.

Despite such circumstances, the ruling and opposition parties alike have failed to implement effective countermeasures. They cannot escape criticism for this negligence.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is considering dissolving the House of Representatives at the opening of the ordinary Diet session scheduled to be convened on Jan. 23.

If false information were to spread during the subsequent lower house election, doubts about it being a fair and just election could arise. As an immediate countermeasure, shouldn’t the parties agree to strive for the disciplined use of social media?

At last month’s meeting of the ruling and opposition parties’ joint council on election campaigns, more than one party stressed that legal regulations should be established to curb the inappropriate use of social media.

Specifically, one proposal that surfaced was to request the suspension, only during an election campaign period, of the mechanisms allowing those who post messages on social media to earn profits based on the number of views their posts receive. The aim of this idea is to prevent voters from posting large volumes of unverified information just to boost their revenue.

The council was established in December 2024. This followed issues such as the spread of unverified information during the Hyogo gubernatorial election that year, which is believed to have influenced the election results.

However, discussions have stalled due to significant differences among parties regarding the necessity of regulation. This likely stems from the fact that many newly established parties believe information on social media has helped raise their profile.

If differences exist over specific methods of regulation, one option for ruling and opposition parties would be to establish regulations one by one, starting with steps on which they can possibly find common ground.

As ruling and opposition parties fail to address related issues, the situation is growing more serious.

During last year’s House of Councillors election, false information spread claiming that foreigners received preferential treatment in public assistance. Operations by foreign elements are suspected. The aim may have been to widen divisions within Japanese society.

The unnatural spread of posts continues unabated. According to a private information security firm, about 9,400 accounts likely using automated “bot” programs to make posts were confirmed during the upper house campaign period.

The intent appears to be to create the illusion that specific claims are capturing the attention of public opinion as a whole.

In the past, posts claiming that people should support those affected by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, rather than those in Ukraine, also spread widely. It is believed to have been maneuvering by Russian elements attempting to stop Japan from supporting Ukraine.

Foreign forces must not be allowed to distort the will of the people.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Jan. 13, 2026)