Abuse risks turning people off politics

For all the pleas that the debate should be on policies and ideas, some of those who are standing have already been subjected to unwarranted personal abuse.

It also has tended to be directed at women, a trend seen elsewhere, and is the type of behaviour which ultimately becomes a barrier to having a representative States as people are put off standing.

The arena has been opened on what should be a fascinating election, but there is an inevitable divisiveness that is harboured by the new electoral system and the parties that are being created.

Given the role of social media in today’s society, deputies and their families are in the spotlight like never before.

It has allowed fair criticism to blur into unwarranted trolling and to be amplified many times over.

Of course the online world can be a tool for good, for sharing ideas and debate.

It can also be self-policing, with people being called out on any unacceptable behaviour.

But it can also lead to echo chambers and false empowerment, an environment where straightforward abuse is seemingly tolerated to a much larger degree than it would be when talking face to face.

Candidates in 2020 will be under no illusions that they will be in the public eye and with that comes scrutiny of what they stand for.

That is only right as voters weigh up who to elect to steer the island through the impact of Covid-19 and beyond.

The nature of the new electoral system, with so many candidates, so many votes, and much less chance to meet or be seen in real life on a public stage, makes social media platforms important outlets.

But Guernsey does not want to be dragged down to the dark depths that have been witnessed in other countries, it needs to guard against complacency and any belief that somehow we are immune.