[germinalphrase]

To be specific, the data shows Google search interest - not number of protest events.

Protests are not necessarily “newsworthy”; however, that search interest would track media stirring up news before elections seems likely.

Further, (and I say this as a Minneapolitan) the significant protests of this summer were very clearly and obviously precipitated by real world events, not astroturfed protest crowds.

[philwelch]

One question is why and how certain specific real-world events go viral and others get memory-holed.

I would surmise that a lot of the protests this summer were, emotionally, a consequence of the stress, economic uncertainty, and way-too-online cabin fever of the early stages of the COVID epidemic.

[trident5000]

You wouldnt believe how sophisticated the firms are that the dem party hires. They have their own versions of Cambridge Analytica which are more than capable of amplifying messages.

[philwelch]

I'd believe it. It would certainly explain a lot.