Communication psychopathologies in the presidential election campaign in Romania
Communication psychopathologies in the presidential election campaign in Romania

Summary/Abstract: This paper aims to investigate how communicational psychopathology influenced the 2024 presidential camping in Romania, focusing on regulatory controversies and the role of TikTok platform in disseminating political messages. In the context of electoral competitions increasingly dominated by the online environment, this study analyzes how manipulation techniques and self-presentation tendencies affect public perception and trust in the democratic process. The research highlights that, in the 2024 electoral camping, communication strategies were amplified by legislative controversies regarding online content regulation, particularly on TikTok, where highly emotional messages were spread rapidly, sometimes in a distorted or alarmist manner. The situation created a climate of uncertainty among voters, who faced a massive flow of information, often designed to induce panic and social division, ultimately leading to a crisis of trust in the state institutions. The analysis focuses on how manipulation strategies and the tendency for artificial self-presentation – also described through the concept of Spectacle 2.0 – are often designed to generate intense emotional responses by using fear-inducing and divisive techniques, which influence electoral decisions and public perception. Through this integrated approach, the paper seeks to highlight how information manipulation and distorted self-presentation contribute to cognitive dissonance and a crisis of trust in the democratic process, emphasizing the need to promote ethical and transparent communication practices to strengthen public dialogue.

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