Smear Campaign

     A smear campaign often referred to as "character assassination" is a deliberate effort to damage the reputation or credibility of an individual. Attacks may be verbal or non-verbal in the form of insults, rumors, campaign ads, cartoons, or tweets. Smear campaigns often target social groups, institutions, public figures, and political figures or candidates. 

Smear campaigns are used as a tactic to steer attention away from the topic at hand, and onto a person's personal traits or reputation. These tactics are associated with "Tabloid Journalism," presenting little well-researched news and instead, using eye-catching headlines with scandal sensationalism. Smear campaigns are also related to tactics such as propaganda, media bias, yellow journalism, and libel. These tactics can lead to widespread persecution, and rejection from professional, cultural, and social communities. Smear campaigns can lead to reputable damage that may last a lifetime.

Historians revealed the first case of smear campaigning by character assassination in the Roman empire. Historical Roman writing reveals that if a deceased ruler did not live up to the people's standards, they would model them as a bad ruler. Roman people used an emperor's sex life as a way to establish a bad reputation.

One of the first modern examples of a smear campaign is seen in Europe during the Protestant reformation. This event began the first wide-scale use of the printing press. Defamation attacks were made on the Pope by protestant reformers such as Martin Luther against the corruption of the Catholic Church. The protestant reformers used the new technology of the printing press to create pamphlets containing harsh words and images of the Pope with demonic faces. 

Smear campaigns are seen throughout U.S. history in various cases. In the 1804 election, Adams claimed Jefferson's election would result in the national promotion of prostitution, incest, and adultery, Rumors surfaced that if Jefferson was elected he would emancipate all of the slaves, and he was alleged to be living with one of his slaves and fathered children with her. Whether these rumors were factual or not, they played a significant role in the public opinion of Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson responded to the rumors in 1807 by saying, "Nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper. Truth itself becomes suspicious by being put into that political vehicle." 

1800 Anti-Thomas Jefferson Negative TV Ad

Today we see similar tactics of smear campaigning by character assassination. President Barack Obama faced numerous false allegations that he was not an American citizen. A Trump campaign operative created a website designed to look like an official campaign page for Biden but filled it with GIFS and text mocking him. The fake site was visited more by viewers than the official page. Former President Donald Trump is claimed to have filed a lawsuit recently against Hillary Clinton and other officials for "smearing" his 2016 campaign.

Smear campaigns are used widely to destroy institutions and individuals' careers and success. Attackers make claims and statements to attack an opponent. The media then uses these ideas with shocking headlines to accelerate the situation and gain viewers. Public opinion is often swayed by the media's use of these false or nasty claims.