Memes are also different because traditional ads are produced by campaigns in-house and shared in a purchased media time slot or ad space.
But when we see a politician mentioned or sponcon posted on someone's Instagram, including a meme account, it somehow feels murkier - if only because there wasn't really a precedent for it until now. When people see a Bloomberg digital banner ad on the New York Times homepage (or on a TV spot on NBC), no one assumes the New York Times is endorsing Bloomberg. In this climate, meme sponcon can easily be misconstrued as an endorsement even though it is, in fact, technically an ad. Facebook ads, for example, are not regulated like TV ads, which means politicians can basically pay to put up fake news and disinformation. The sponsorship was particularly prescient given the new role that social media is playing in politics.
