Election Day 2024 will be one of the most consequential in U.S. history, and disinformation campaigns loom large in influencing millions of Americans on what’s really at stake when they head to polls this fall. Journalists across the country must be prepared with the skills to pre- and debunk conspiracy theories, misinformation, and more — well before Nov. 5.
On May 1, the National Press Club Journalism Institute hosted a panel discussion on the current tactics being used by disinformation specialists to disrupt the 2024 election and what journalists can do to counter them.
Panelists included:
- Tina Barton, senior elections expert, Committee for Safe and Secure Elections
- Yael Eisenstat, senior fellow at Cybersecurity for Democracy and PEN America consultant
- Christine Fernando, democracy reporter, Associated Press
- Sheera Frenkel, technology reporter for the New York Times
- Chad Lorenz, editor-in-chief, Votebeat (moderator)
Resources shared during the program included:
- Covering Elections and Voting in 2024: A Media Guide
- Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer’s livestream tour (on April 22) of Maricopa County’s Tabulation and Election Center
- Few Republicans have confidence in elections. It’s a long road for one group trying to change that / As social media guardrails fade and AI deepfakes go mainstream, experts warn of impact on elections
- How Misinformation ‘Superspreaders’ Seed False Election Theories / The Ugly Truth: Inside Facebook’s Battle for Domination (book by Sheera Frenkel and Cecilia Kang) and how misinformation spreads on Facebook
- Votebeat stories on election misinformation
- Disinformation (PEN America)
- How Cognitive Biases Make Us Vulnerable to Disinformation – and What We Can Do about It (PEN America)
This program is part of the Institute’s four-part training series focused on ethics in the age of disinformation. The series, produced in part with funding from the Inasmuch Foundation, is designed to provide tools and best practices to support ethical, trustworthy journalism.
About NPCJI
The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press, and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire a more representative democracy. As the nonprofit affiliate of the National Press Club, the Institute powers journalism in the public interest.
Thank you for sharing the videos, It was an excellent learning program