Hello, I’m Alexandra, but people tend to call me Ada. I’ve been in the marketing world for over 12 years (I’ve honestly lost count), and it’s safe to say that it’s a field I really enjoy. I’ve always felt like marketing fits my personality well. However, one thing that has always been a big passion of mine is politics—especially political marketing. In fact, I even studied it for my Master’s.
In my 20s, I attempted to volunteer in political marketing, but life had its way of redirecting me, and I ended up not pursuing it further. I didn’t want to risk turning something I loved into a job I didn’t enjoy, or worse, find out that I wasn’t cut out for it. So, I ended up working in affiliate marketing for eCommerce instead, which, turns out, I absolutely love. The domain is constantly evolving with new innovations and technologies, and I get to learn something new every single day. It’s an exciting challenge.
While I’m a self-proclaimed data geek (no surprise there), my curiosity about the world around me runs deep. The way we consume media has shifted so dramatically over the years, especially with the rise of social media. I’ve been watching these changes unfold since I was in university, and the transformation is mind-blowing.
Back in the day, we watched the Arab Spring from our comfy European homes, thinking it was a good thing sparked by the internet and the democratization of media. But, as we know, things didn’t exactly go as planned. Civil wars broke out, and the power vacuum was exploited by terrorist groups. In other places, social media crazes led to devastating events like the genocide of the Rohingya minority in Myanmar. Even closer to home, we’ve witnessed the spread of human trafficking, revenge porn (including involving minors!), and a toxic rise in social media influencers, which has made many of us feel insignificant and disconnected from reality.
It’s strange, right? The same social platforms that once seemed to offer an open world have now become instruments of division, spreading hate and extreme polarization. Algorithms feed us the content that makes us engage, often pushing us further into echo chambers. And now, with the rise of AI (which, by the way, I’m using to write this article—I’ve always had so many ideas but struggled to get them down), we’re facing a new frontier. While AI is incredibly powerful, it’s also extremely dangerous if it’s used irresponsibly. I’d highly recommend reading Harari’s book on AI if you want a deep dive into its potential dangers.
What really pushed me to start writing again, though, was the chaos I’ve witnessed online over the past few years, especially since Covid. Don’t get me wrong, I used to be the biggest fan of Facebook, and I owe a lot of my marketing success to my understanding of it. But having more knowledge than most people (thanks to my job) has made me feel less in control—especially because I can’t completely stop using social media.
It all started a little before Covid, when I created a fake Facebook account (yes, I know, I’ve told this story so many times, but it’s important) to spy on ads. At the time, Romania’s extremist political party, AUR, had suddenly entered parliament, and I was curious to see what was going on behind the scenes. The content I saw on my fake account was drastically different from what I was getting on my regular one. The algorithm was feeding me one narrative, while my personal account was showing me another. Soon after, the madness of Covid hit, and for two years, I was caught in a whirlwind of fake news, trolling, and emotional exhaustion. The hatred online was overwhelming—toward doctors, toward people getting vaccinated, toward just about everyone.
That’s when it hit me: we, as advertisers, need to take responsibility. We have the power to pull our ads, to stop fueling a machine of disinformation. I can’t even begin to fathom how many people’s lives were impacted by this toxic environment.
Then, the war in Ukraine began. Initially, I saw messages of solidarity, calls for donations, and support for Ukraine. But, as time went on, the Kremlin’s narrative slowly crept in. I watched it happen—subtle at first, then more aggressive. Bots and fake accounts spread the messaging, and before long, we were all swimming in the disinformation that had been nurtured for years.
By December 2024, we saw the outcome in the Romanian elections with Calin Georgescu emerging as a frontrunner out of nowhere. The manipulation had been years in the making, with positive reinforcement tactics creating a sense of belonging for many.
All of this led me to a realization: we need to unite as people working in marketing to explain how digital marketing works and, more importantly, how it can be used against us. While I’m aware that my message might not reach many, I feel strongly about shedding light on this topic from the perspective of someone who understands the inner workings of marketing better than the average person.
That’s why I’m starting to write here at The Digital Democracy (the website you’re reading this on!). It’s not my main job (I mostly work on affiliate marketing), but I feel compelled to share my thoughts. And if just one person reads this and thinks twice about the content they consume or the impact of digital marketing, then it’s all worth it.
As I continue this journey, my goal is to share more concrete insights into the world of digital advertising, drawing on my years of experience in marketing to uncover how these tools can sometimes be used to manipulate us. Through my years in affiliate marketing, I’ve seen firsthand how shady practices and fraud can creep into the system. But my broader knowledge of marketing—across various platforms and industries—helps me understand the bigger picture of digital manipulation.
I also attend conferences where I constantly learn about how websites monetize, how trends evolve, and how these mechanisms can sometimes be used to influence behavior in ways we might not realize. I plan to engage with others in the industry who share my passion for transparency and responsible marketing, so together we can address these issues and work towards creating a more ethical digital environment.
Thanks for reading!
