Influence of the Internet on the 2016 U.S. Presidential Elections

Abstract

IT attacks and media operations executed by various foreign countries had a greater role than ever before in the U.S. presidential election and the preceding campaign in 2016. The main aims of these attacks were to influence the outcome of the election. The media had specifically addressed attention to the issue both in the U.S. and Europe. However, we heard few evidence-based facts that had real and strong influence on the merits of the presidential election. This paper tries to provide a chronological sequence of IT attacks, as well as to analyse a variety of media operations such as events that potentially influenced the election.