televoting

Televoting is a voting method where participants cast ballots remotely via telecommunications or internet, typically in entertainment programs; it contrasts with in-person or mail ballots. It is often used to allow audiences to influence outcomes in real time. The term is commonly associated with viewer participation in television shows.

Common technologies include automated telephone voting (IVR), SMS-based voting, and online portals or mobile apps. Voters authenticate by caller ID, phone number, or account credentials. Ballots are designed for secrecy, often with independent tallying; some systems provide receipts or confirmation.

Major applications include audience voting in talent and reality shows, or broadcast sports or cultural competitions, with Eurovision Song Contest as a well-known example. In politics, televoting has also been used in some referendums or overseas citizen voting programs, but is far less common due to security and privacy concerns; many jurisdictions rely on more traditional methods.

Advantages include enabling remote participation, rapid results, and potentially higher turnout; cost reductions for broadcasters and organizers. Challenges include security vulnerabilities (spoofing, bot attacks), vote-buying and coercion risk, privacy and data protection concerns, digital divide creating unequal access, and difficulties in auditing and ensuring voter authenticity. Technical failures or outages can affect results.

To address concerns, televoting systems typically implement authentication, end-to-end security, audit trails, broadcasting-independent tallies, and regulatory oversight; some programs provide fallback methods or public-voting transparency reports. The practice continues to evolve with advances in online identity, encryption, and accessibility considerations.