Combating Misinformation in the 2024 Elections
The 2024 election has started, and there’s a severe threat in the election landscape: misinformation. As we wrap up discussions around Iowa and look ahead to New Hampshire, it appears that Trump’s claims about the 2020 election are still widely believed among his supporters.
Not to mention, the rise of AI coupled with the deregulation of Twitter/X have given rise to a growing concern that election misinformation could dissuade voters from turning out.
Civic engagement organizations are the superheroes voters need right now; they have the power to cut through the noise and shine a light on the truth.
The urgency of the situation
A recent study by Pew Research reveals an escalating concern among the public regarding the spread of false information, particularly in artificial intelligence and online content. About half of Americans say the increased use of artificial intelligence in daily life makes them feel more concerned than excited – up 14 percentage points from last year.
Many in the electoral space are concerned about how this new technology will be weaponized via mass disinformation campaigns, especially text-based disinformation. Experts are concerned with powers like Russia and China misusing AI and susceptible voters struggling to field through the mix of facts and misinformation.
Samir Jain, co-author of a recent Center for Democracy and Technology report on counter-election-disinformation initiatives, said, “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.”
Add to this the rollback in safeguards and content guidelines on Twitter/X, and the situation becomes more dire.
And these election misinformation campaigns can be hard to identify. Last year, Meta identified a Russian influence effort that used AI tools to create news outlets dedicated to American politics. These news outlets, with names like Election Watch and My Pride, had long histories and were used to spread misinformation.
What can civic engagement organizations do?
Most of the efforts to solve misinformation online are multi-million dollar technology projects. However, community-centered civic engagement organizations can do a lot to combat misinformation this election cycle.
Tech platforms like Twitter/X, Instagram, and Facebook offer free content distribution, often from unchecked sources.
The primary strategy for civic engagement organizations should be to establish themselves as hubs of trusted information within their communities, especially in the digital realm.
Civic engagement organizations often act as beacons of facts within a sea of disinformation. Their close ties within their communities offer a strong jumping-off point for amplifying accurate information.
This can take many forms, including amplifying accurate content through email blasts, social media posts, and online.
If your website doesn’t offer voter education resources, we highly recommend creating a hub that includes the following information:
Essential voting resources like how, where, and when to vote position you as a trusted source of information for voters navigating the voting process (especially first-time voters).
Voter guides with candidate stances should be nonpartisan and always linked back to sources, with candidates in their own words.
Emergency tools like voter hotlines, contact forms, and supervisor of elections details for voters clarify any last-minute concerns or questions.
Ballot Builder: A tool for trust and clarity
Setting up such guides on your website can take a lot of time and effort. Ballot Builder is an easy plug-and-play solution for integrating a voter guide into your website, branded to your organization.
Ballot Builder displays trusted, nonpartisan information about who’s on the ballot and where they stand on key policies.
Ballot Builder empowers organizations to provide their communities with clear, concise, and accurate information about candidates and ballot measures. These guides educate voters and fortify their trust in the organization as a reliable information source.
Support from grant-makers
The good news is that the issue of misinformation is not lost on foundations and grant-makers. Many grant-makers have listed this as a top priority heading into 2024. Developing a strategy to address disinformation within your community may help to attract more support from philanthropic institutions.
The path to a successful 2024 election lies in the ability of civic engagement organizations to shine through as bastions of truth and reliability. By focusing on becoming trusted information hubs and leveraging resources like Ballot Builder, these organizations can significantly mitigate the impact of misinformation and strengthen the democratic process.
How is your organization thinking about misinformation? Let us know in the comments below!