Why the fight to counter false election claims may be harder in 2024
1 year, 1 month ago

Why the fight to counter false election claims may be harder in 2024

NPR  

Why the fight to counter false election claims may be harder in 2024 Enlarge this image toggle caption Brandon Bell/Getty Images Brandon Bell/Getty Images In Marion County, Fla., elections supervisor Wesley Wilcox has stopped using the word "misinformation." Sponsor Message Another feature of DHS's election security work that seems to be fading into the background is a website called "Rumor Control." "They are limiting our ability just to do the research, because we're spending too much time with our lawyers, but also limiting our ability to have conversations with the people who need our work the most, whether that's election officials or whether that's social media platforms," she said. Dialogue between the people running elections, researchers and the tech companies is critical, said Eddie Perez, who oversaw Twitter's election integrity work before leaving in September 2022 amid Elon Musk's purchase of the company.

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History of this topic

After Trump's victory, U.S. election falsehoods shift left
1 month, 1 week ago

After Trump's victory, U.S. election falsehoods shift left

Raw Story  

Right-wing falsehoods about voter fraud fell off a cliff after Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. election, but American liberals took a page from their playbook to push wild conspiracy theories that have fueled doubt about the democratic process. "What we're seeing now is an uptick in election fraud claims from the left, particularly in the days following Election Day …

Misinformation fears mount over second Trump term
1 month, 1 week ago

Misinformation fears mount over second Trump term

Raw Story  

Donald Trump's election victory paves the way for a fresh wave of misinformation, not only around politics but also on vaccines and climate, with his expected cabinet picks ready to challenge the scientific community. "The problem of misinformation and disinformation is the worst it's ever been," said Bill Adair, a Duke University professor who founded the fact-checking site PolitiFact and …

US Election 2024: US federal agencies warn about Russian disinformation campaigns, Iran’s role in election interference
1 month, 2 weeks ago

US Election 2024: US federal agencies warn about Russian disinformation campaigns, Iran’s role in election interference

Live Mint  

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued a joint statement on November 4 on the eve of elections, alerting the public to ongoing foreign influence operations, particularly by Russian actors, aimed at undermining confidence in the US electoral process. Since the agencies' last update on Friday, …

Musk's Social Media Platform X: A Key Source of Election Misinformation
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Musk's Social Media Platform X: A Key Source of Election Misinformation

Firstpost  

Experts have highlighted the influence of Elon Musk and the social media platform X in the dissemination of misleading narratives related to the US elections. X's vast influence contributes to the spread of false or misleading statements made by Musk, particularly in swing states. Musk's rollback of content moderation efforts and the layoffs of a significant portion of the workforce …

An influencer thought someone dropping off ballots was ‘suspect.’ It was the postman
1 month, 3 weeks ago

An influencer thought someone dropping off ballots was ‘suspect.’ It was the postman

NPR  

An influencer thought someone dropping off ballots was ‘suspect.’ It was the postman toggle caption Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images Two days before Halloween, a Pennsylvania postal worker was delivering a box of mailed-in ballots to the Northampton County Courthouse. "Most of the people who are responding to the posts are convinced that the election is being stolen and so …

Election Fraud Conspiracy Theories Are Already Thriving Online
54 years, 11 months ago

Election Fraud Conspiracy Theories Are Already Thriving Online

Wired  

Election workers in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, are not destroying mail-in ballots cast for former president Donald Trump. The Department of Defense did not issue a directive last month giving US soldiers unprecedented authority to use lethal force against Trump supporters who riot if the former president loses next week. These are just a small sample of the flood of voting-related …

Election Officials Under Fire as Early Voting Begins, Facing a Flood of False Claims
2 months ago

Election Officials Under Fire as Early Voting Begins, Facing a Flood of False Claims

CNN  

Election officials are working to combat misinformation in real time as early voting begins in earnest. They are preparing for a deluge of false and misleading claims, and are actively trying to address issues before they go far. In critical battleground states, conservatives have been sharing uncorroborated instances of machines flipping votes, claims of widespread fraud in mail ballots and …

Election Officials Under Fire as Early Voting Begins, Facing a Flood of False Claims
2 months ago

Election Officials Under Fire as Early Voting Begins, Facing a Flood of False Claims

CNN  

Election officials are working to combat misinformation in real time as early voting begins in earnest. They are preparing for a deluge of false and misleading claims, and are actively trying to address issues before they go far. However, the spread of misinformation continues, with claims of machine flipping votes, voter fraud, and manipulated results circulating on social media. Election …

Beware: U.S. election disinformation masked as 'breaking news'
2 months ago

Beware: U.S. election disinformation masked as 'breaking news'

Raw Story  

"Breaking" news, screamed an online post by a conservative American influencer as he pushed disinformation about Kamala Harris, illustrating how journalism lingo has been co-opted as a tool to amplify election falsehoods. It is yet another disinformation trend undermining trust in traditional media -- already at historic lows, surveys show -- alongside the proliferation of fake "news" sites and the …

Domestic extremists with ‘election-related grievances’ could turn to violence in final weeks of election, FBI and DHS warn
2 months, 3 weeks ago

Domestic extremists with ‘election-related grievances’ could turn to violence in final weeks of election, FBI and DHS warn

CNN  

CNN — The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are concerned that “election-related grievances,” such as a belief in voter fraud, could motivate domestic extremists to engage in violence in the weeks before and after the November election, as it did during the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, according to a new intelligence bulletin from the agencies. …

US intel reveals Russia plans to meddle in 2024 election
5 months, 2 weeks ago

US intel reveals Russia plans to meddle in 2024 election

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Russia will attempt to influence the 2024 US presidential election …

Supreme Court Rules That US Government Can Continue Talking to Social Media Companies
54 years, 11 months ago

Supreme Court Rules That US Government Can Continue Talking to Social Media Companies

Wired  

Today, the Supreme Court ruled in a 6–3 decision that the plaintiffs who'd sued the US government for allegedly violating the First Amendment—by communicating with social media companies about misleading and harmful content on their platforms—did not present enough evidence to prove that they had standing to sue. Specifically, the case alleged that government agencies like the Centers for Disease …

Intelligence chairman says US may be less prepared for election threats than it was four years ago
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Intelligence chairman says US may be less prepared for election threats than it was four years ago

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — With only five months before voters head to the polls, the U.S. may be more vulnerable to foreign disinformation aimed at influencing voters and undermining democracy than it was before the 2020 election, the leader of the Senate Intelligence Committee said Monday. As a result, the U.S. could face a greater threat of foreign disinformation ahead of the …

New era of AI deepfakes complicates 2024 elections
10 months, 1 week ago

New era of AI deepfakes complicates 2024 elections

Live Mint  

The explosion of artificial-intelligence technology makes it easier than ever to deceive people on the internet, and is turning the 2024 U.S. presidential election into an unprecedented test on how to police deceptive content. Two weeks later, the New Hampshire attorney general’s office said it identified a Texas-based company named Life Corp.as the source of the calls and that it …

Experts warn of AI's impact on 2024 US election as deepfakes go mainstream and social media guardrails fade
11 months, 4 weeks ago

Experts warn of AI's impact on 2024 US election as deepfakes go mainstream and social media guardrails fade

ABC  

Nearly three years after rioters stormed the US Capitol, the false election conspiracy theories that drove the violent attack remain prevalent on social media and that country's television news. Defence force chief's deepfake and AI warning Photo shows Angus Campbell stands alongside Anthony Albanese at a press conference at parliament house General Angus Campbell warns the world is entering an …

Thousands of fake Facebook accounts shut down by Meta were primed to polarize voters ahead of 2024
1 year ago

Thousands of fake Facebook accounts shut down by Meta were primed to polarize voters ahead of 2024

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Someone in China created thousands of fake social media accounts designed to appear to be from Americans and used them to spread polarizing political content in an apparent effort to divide the U.S. ahead of next year’s elections, Meta said Thursday. “Foreign threat actors are attempting to reach people across the internet ahead of next year’s elections, and …

Disinformation Experts Change Tactics For 2024 Election
1 year, 2 months ago

Disinformation Experts Change Tactics For 2024 Election

Huff Post  

Kate Starbird had been studying online conspiracy theories for years when she realized last year that she was at the center of one. “Next year might be one of the worst times we have seen, and maybe the worst time we have seen, for the spread of election-related mis- and disinformation.” Ending The ‘Golden Age’ Of Access After Trump was …

The Network Behind Trump’s Election Lies Hasn’t Backed Down — Despite His Indictment
1 year, 4 months ago

The Network Behind Trump’s Election Lies Hasn’t Backed Down — Despite His Indictment

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING A key point of Donald Trump’s indictment Tuesday ― for allegedly conspiring to overthrow the 2020 election results and deprive Americans of their voting rights ― is prosecutors’ allegation that Trump knowingly spread lies about the election. Former Trump campaign attorney Sidney Powell ― apparently “Co-Conspirator 3” in the indictment ― was sanctioned in federal court for …

Efforts to deceive are a top concern among state election officials heading into 2024
1 year, 5 months ago

Efforts to deceive are a top concern among state election officials heading into 2024

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Efforts to deceive the public about voting and elections remain a top concern for state election officials as they dig into preparations for the 2024 election. So, we’re planning for the worst, which is that multiple communications channels will be filled with false and misleading information.” State election officials in Michigan and Colorado said they were particularly concerned …

Countering misinformation is top concern among state election officials heading into 2024
1 year, 5 months ago

Countering misinformation is top concern among state election officials heading into 2024

LA Times  

Jocelyn Benson, Michigan’s secretary of state, attends a panel about elections during the summer meeting of the National Assn. So, we’re planning for the worst, which is that multiple communications channels will be filled with false and misleading information.” State election officials in Michigan and Colorado said they were particularly concerned about the rise of AI and the implications of …

US officials worry about ‘chilling effect’ on combating election disinformation after order limiting Biden administration contact with social platforms
1 year, 5 months ago

US officials worry about ‘chilling effect’ on combating election disinformation after order limiting Biden administration contact with social platforms

CNN  

Washington CNN — A federal judge’s move to limit how some US agencies communicate with social media companies could have a “chilling effect” on how the federal government and states address election-related disinformation just as the 2024 election cycle gets underway, according to interviews with current and former US officials. The court order may undercut efforts to safeguard the 2024 …

'Reckless’: Biden's poll campaign on YouTube's content policy on election claims
1 year, 6 months ago

'Reckless’: Biden's poll campaign on YouTube's content policy on election claims

Hindustan Times  

US President Joe Biden's re-election campaign said on Tuesday that a decision by Alphabet Inc's YouTube to stop policing false claims about fraud in the 2020 race is "reckless" and could lead to violence. "YouTube's reckless and irresponsible decision will invite further democratic decay and potential violence, and we urge them to reconsider this policy," Biden campaign spokesperson Kevin Munoz …

False claims of a stolen election thrive unchecked on Twitter even as Musk promises otherwise
1 year, 7 months ago

False claims of a stolen election thrive unchecked on Twitter even as Musk promises otherwise

Associated Press  

NEW YORK — In an interview this week, Twitter owner Elon Musk said users making false claims of stolen elections “will be corrected” on the platform. Prompted by a CNBC reporter for extra assurance that would happen, Musk responded, “Oh yeah, 100%.” fa8f7640c9f64c078dbb83f9ccd3d42f Yet many such claims have thrived on Twitter in the week since former President Donald Trump spent …

‘Cheating lowlifes’: Donald Trump claims 2024 US president polls already rigged
1 year, 7 months ago

‘Cheating lowlifes’: Donald Trump claims 2024 US president polls already rigged

Hindustan Times  

Donald Trump has already claimed interference in the 2024 presidential election, nearly 18 months before US goes to vote. Former US President Donald Trump The 300-page report said, “the FBI had no information in its holdings indicating that at any time during the campaign anyone in the Trump campaign had been in contact with any Russian intelligence officials.” Trump had …

Trump screeches at Fox News in all-caps 3 a.m. Truth Social post
1 year, 8 months ago

Trump screeches at Fox News in all-caps 3 a.m. Truth Social post

Raw Story  

Former President Donald Trump was up at 3 a.m. on Monday writing an all-caps tirade against Fox News for not continuing to push his false claims about the 2020 election being stolen from him. Apparently reacting to news that Fox has been making a late push to settle the defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems, Trump slammed the network …

Ex-Twitter officials reject GOP claims of government collusion
1 year, 10 months ago

Ex-Twitter officials reject GOP claims of government collusion

NPR  

Ex-Twitter officials reject GOP claims of government collusion Enlarge this image toggle caption Alex Wong/Getty Images Alex Wong/Getty Images Former Twitter officials denied claims the U.S. government and Joe Biden's presidential campaign were involved in the social network's controversial, short-lived decision to block users from sharing a New York Post story about Biden's son Hunter just weeks before the 2020 …

Twitter slow to act on misleading U.S. election content, experts say
2 years, 1 month ago

Twitter slow to act on misleading U.S. election content, experts say

The Hindu  

Election experts reported the spread of new falsehoods across Twitter and other social media services on Tuesday as Americans voted in midterm elections, four days after Twitter Inc. fired half its staff and new owner Elon Musk tweeted a recommendation to vote for Republican candidates. The nonpartisan watchdog group Common Cause, which monitors social media for voter suppression efforts, said …

Mishaps, distrust spur Election Day misinformation
2 years, 1 month ago

Mishaps, distrust spur Election Day misinformation

Associated Press  

Voters casting ballots in Tuesday’s pivotal midterms grappled with misleading claims about glitchy election machines and delayed results, the final crest of a wave of misinformation that’s expected to linger long after the last votes are tallied. There was lots of other misinformation too: false claims about ballots cast by non-citizens or pre-filled registration forms; hoaxes about voting machines and …

Misinformation and the midterm elections: What to expect
2 years, 1 month ago

Misinformation and the midterm elections: What to expect

Associated Press  

Conspiracy theories about mail ballots. Misinformation about the upcoming midterm elections has been building for months, challenging election officials and tech companies while offering another reminder of how conspiracy theories and distrust are shaping America’s politics. “The single galvanizing narrative is that the 2020 election was stolen.” A look at key misinformation challenges heading into the 2022 election: MISLEADING CLAIMS …

Social media platforms have done ‘half-measures’ to root out election disinformation
2 years, 2 months ago

Social media platforms have done ‘half-measures’ to root out election disinformation

LA Times  

Baseless claims about election fraud continue to flourish on popular internet platforms ahead of the midterms, despite what the companies say have been efforts to contain them. A Facebook search for the words “election fraud” first delivers an article claiming that workers at a Pennsylvania children’s museum are brainwashing children so they’ll accept stolen elections. While platforms like Twitter, TikTok, …

Social media platforms brace for midterm elections mayhem
2 years, 2 months ago

Social media platforms brace for midterm elections mayhem

Associated Press  

A Facebook search for the words “election fraud” first delivers an article claiming that workers at a Pennsylvania children’s museum are brainwashing children so they’ll accept stolen elections. While platforms like Twitter, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube say they’ve expanded their work to detect and stop harmful claims that could suppress the vote or even lead to violent confrontations, a review …

Social media platforms brace for U.S. midterm elections mayhem
2 years, 2 months ago

Social media platforms brace for U.S. midterm elections mayhem

The Hindu  

A Facebook search for the words “election fraud” first delivers an article claiming that workers at a Pennsylvania children's museum are brainwashing children so they'll accept stolen elections. While platforms like Twitter, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube say they've expanded their work to detect and stop harmful claims that could suppress the vote or even lead to violent confrontations, a review …

Social media platforms brace for midterm elections mayhem
2 years, 2 months ago

Social media platforms brace for midterm elections mayhem

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A Facebook search for the words “election fraud” first delivers …

Social media platforms brace for midterm elections mayhem
2 years, 2 months ago

Social media platforms brace for midterm elections mayhem

Al Jazeera  

Misinformation about voting and elections abounds on social media despite promises by tech companies to curb these. A Facebook search for the words “election fraud” first delivers an article claiming that workers at a Pennsylvania children’s museum are brainwashing children so they will accept stolen elections. While platforms like Twitter, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube say they have expanded their work …

Prominent election deniers are facing growing legal trouble
2 years, 3 months ago

Prominent election deniers are facing growing legal trouble

NPR  

Prominent election deniers are facing growing legal trouble Enlarge this image toggle caption Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Konnech, a small Michigan company that makes election logistics software, says a "smear campaign" whipped up by the controversial group True the Vote has led to death threats and forced the company's CEO to leave home in fear for his and …

Social media firms are prepping for the midterms. Experts say it may not be enough
2 years, 3 months ago

Social media firms are prepping for the midterms. Experts say it may not be enough

NPR  

Social media firms are prepping for the midterms. The host of election-related announcements in recent weeks add up to a "business as usual" approach, said Katie Harbath, a former elections policy director at Facebook who's now a fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Branching out beyond English is an important step towards addressing a "glaring omission" in previous elections, said …

Fighting bogus claims a growing priority in election offices
2 years, 3 months ago

Fighting bogus claims a growing priority in election offices

Associated Press  

Election officials preparing for the rapidly approaching midterm elections have one more headache: trying to combat misinformation that sows distrust about voting and results while fueling vitriol aimed at rank-and-file election workers. A barrage of misinformation in some places has led election officials to complain that Facebook parent Meta, Twitter and other social media platforms aren’t doing enough to help …

U.S. midterms bring few changes from social media companies
2 years, 4 months ago

U.S. midterms bring few changes from social media companies

Associated Press  

SAN FRANCISCO — Social media companies are offering few specifics as they share their plans for safeguarding the U.S. midterm elections. Video app TikTok, which has soared in popularity since the last election cycle while also cementing its place as a problem spot for misinformation, announced Wednesday it is launching an election center that will help people find voting locations …

Meta quieter on election misinformation as midterms loom
2 years, 4 months ago

Meta quieter on election misinformation as midterms loom

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Facebook owner Meta is quietly curtailing some of the safeguards designed to thwart voting misinformation or foreign interference in U.S. elections as the November midterm vote approaches. CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote Facebook posts promising to take down false voting information and authored opinion articles calling for more regulations to tackle foreign interference in U.S. elections via social media. …

Some local GOP leaders fire up base with conspiracies, lies
3 years, 9 months ago

Some local GOP leaders fire up base with conspiracies, lies

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The Associated Press reviewed public and private social media accounts of nearly 1,000 federal, …

Election officials say combating lies will be big challenge
3 years, 10 months ago

Election officials say combating lies will be big challenge

Associated Press  

After an election season dominated by conspiracy theories and false claims about voting, top election officials across the country say they already are bracing for what comes next. “It’s unfortunate that is the case that we have now.” Jared Dearing, executive director for the State Board of Elections in Kentucky, said people still contact his office believing the presidential election …

Election officials say combating lies will be big challenge
3 years, 10 months ago

Election officials say combating lies will be big challenge

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “It’s unfortunate that is the case that we …

Twitter banned Trump -- and misinformation dropped 73% the following week: report
3 years, 11 months ago

Twitter banned Trump -- and misinformation dropped 73% the following week: report

Raw Story  

Donald Trump received a permanent suspension from Twitter two days after the fatal insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. "Online misinformation about election fraud plunged 73 percent after several social media sites suspended President Trump and key allies last week, research firm Zignal Labs has found, underscoring the power of tech companies to limit the falsehoods poisoning public debate when they …

False Claims Fuel Trump's Election Result Disinformation Campaign
3 years, 11 months ago

False Claims Fuel Trump's Election Result Disinformation Campaign

NPR  

False Claims Fuel Trump's Election Result Disinformation Campaign NOEL KING, HOST: The call between President Trump and Georgia's secretary of state lasted a little more than an hour. KING: So as we heard in that clip, to your point, Brad Raffensperger says, well, folks can say anything on social media, and the president says, oh, this isn't social media; this …

Report: Social media manipulation affects even US senators
4 years ago

Report: Social media manipulation affects even US senators

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

US Election 2020: Facebook, Twitter CEOs facing questions on poll measures
4 years, 1 month ago

US Election 2020: Facebook, Twitter CEOs facing questions on poll measures

Hindustan Times  

A Senate panel is calling on the CEOs of Facebook and Twitter to defend their handling of disinformation in the contest between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden. The Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing Tuesday to question Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter’s Jack Dorsey on their companies’ actions around the closely contested election. On Monday, Twitter flagged …

Facebook, Twitter grilled on election response by US senators
4 years, 1 month ago

Facebook, Twitter grilled on election response by US senators

Al Jazeera  

The tech CEOs are taking questions before a United States Senate committee to defend their handling of election disinformation. 17 Nov 2020 - 17:56 GMT Twitter’s Dorsey says social media ‘can be addictive’ Dorsey, when questioned again by Senator Graham about whether Facebook can be addictive, responded: “I do think like anything else, these tools can be addictive and we …

Facebook, Twitter CEOs to be pressed on election handling
4 years, 1 month ago

Facebook, Twitter CEOs to be pressed on election handling

Hindustan Times  

The CEOs of Facebook and Twitter are being summoned before Congress to defend their handling of disinformation in the 2020 presidential election, even as lawmakers questioning them are deeply divided over the election’s integrity and results. Fight hard.” Both Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter’s Jack Dorsey promised lawmakers last month that they would aggressively guard their platforms from being manipulated …

Facebook, Twitter CEOs to be pressed on election handling
4 years, 1 month ago

Facebook, Twitter CEOs to be pressed on election handling

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The CEOs of Facebook and Twitter are being summoned before Congress to defend their handling of disinformation in the 2020 presidential election, even as lawmakers questioning them are deeply divided over the election’s integrity and results. Fight hard.” Both Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter’s Jack Dorsey promised lawmakers last month that they would aggressively guard their platforms from …

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