Tag Democracy

Big Tech Chose a Side. Here’s What’s Next.

The recent actions of Big Tech CEOs have made their alliances clear: Despite installing some pro-democracy window dressing in recent years, tech companies have steadily and systematically captured our means of communication and surrendered them to the MAGA universe. In the US, the question now is whether Democrats and others who oppose MAGA politics will recognize the alliance between the far right and Big Tech – and take steps to rein in this dangerous turn toward extremism before we lose our democracy altogether.

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Democrats Are Out on Social Media — But They Know They Can’t Quit

Accountable Tech, a progressive-leaning advocacy organization long at the crux of conversations like this, made a push during Joe Biden’s term for Democrats to increase regulation of social media. It warned against data mining and algorithms that work to keep users’ attention with more controversial, extreme and often just plain incorrect content. “These platforms are all just monopolies,” Nicole Gill, the group’s co-founder, told NOTUS. She pointed to the attendance by platform owners at Trump’s inauguration. “All of these sites have a bent, and I think we’re going to see more and more of that come through as they do away with all their already limited content moderation guidelines and fact-checking.”

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AI’s influence on election 2024

"It is offering new ways of spreading disinformation, like the audio and video content, especially, but it's mostly just turbocharging existing efforts and making it a lot cheaper and easier," Nicole Gill, co-founder and executive director at the watchdog group Accountable Tech, says.

Zach Praiss

Experts Expect ‘Tsunami of Misinformation’ Amid AI Surge Ahead of Election

Jesse Lehrich, co-founder of Accountable Tech, a nonprofit watchdog group, told the AP that Twitter used to be one of the "most responsible" platforms. “Obviously now they’re on the exact other end of the spectrum,” he said.

Zach Praiss

As guardrails fade and AI deepfakes go mainstream, experts warn of election impacts

Twitter used to be one of the "most responsible" platforms, showing a willingness to test features that might reduce misinformation even at the expense of engagement, said Jesse Lehrich, co-founder of Accountable Tech, a nonprofit watchdog group. "Obviously now they're on the exact other end of the spectrum."

Zach Praiss

Misinformation research is under attack. So what’s the plan for 2024?

Academics and government officials aren’t the only ones shifting strategy. Jesse Lehrich, cofounder of the advocacy group Accountable Tech, says the last year has also required his organization to “adapt to the realities of the moment.”

Zach Praiss

Concerns Mount Over Social Media and 2024 Elections

So far, a coalition of ten civil society groups, including Accountable Tech, the Center for American Progress (CAP), and the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) have all signed onto the framework.

Zach Praiss

X Fires Its Election Team Before a Huge Election Year

“With authoritarianism on the rise, and dozens of countries set to hold high-stakes elections next year, democracy is facing an existential threat,” says Jesse Lehrich, cofounder of the nonprofit Accountable Tech. “And Elon Musk continues to tip the scales in the wrong direction."

Zach Praiss

Leading Civil Society Groups Introduce Election Integrity Framework for Online Platforms

With more than 50 countries set to hold elections in 2024, a coalition of leading civil society organizations at the nexus of democracy and technology today announced a new election integrity framework that focuses on content-agnostic recommendations for online platforms to mitigate the threats of election manipulation.

Zach Praiss

Trump charges will test social media rules on violent rhetoric

Jesse Lehrich, co-founder of the left-leaning advocacy group Accountable Tech and a former spokesman for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, said that tech companies are “much more comfortable inviting widespread societal unrest than pissing off conservatives.”

Victoria Vinall

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

But since he took over, Musk has reinstated notorious election deniers, overhauled Twitter’s verification system and gutted much of the staff that had been responsible for moderating posts. Those choices have allowed falsehoods to flourish, said Jesse Lehrich, co-founder of Accountable Tech, a nonprofit watchdog group.

Victoria Vinall

New Six-Figure TV Ad Buy Slams Facebook for Gutting Election Integrity Safeguards Ahead of Midterms

Big Tech watchdog Accountable Tech announced a $250,000 national TV and digital ad buy slamming Facebook for rolling back election integrity safeguards ahead of the upcoming midterms.

Zach Praiss

Obama Outlines Existential Threat Big Tech Poses to Democracy

In his keynote address at Stanford University’s “Challenges to Democracy in the Digital Information Realm” Symposium, President Barack Obama outlined Big Tech’s role in supercharging disinformation and undermining democracy across the globe.

Zach Praiss

Facebook’s facial recognition rollback shows limits of self-regulation, officials say

Jesse Lehrich, co-founder of the left-leaning advocacy group Accountable Tech, said he’s not banking on lawmakers advancing new facial recognition and biometric rules this Congress."

Kenya Juarez

Accountable Tech and Partners Urge Voter Protection Preclearance for Social Media

Platforms must do more to address these harms before users are exposed, and they have the tools to do it. Facebook and Twitter already use proactive detection and enforcement, combining AI and human review to preempt other violations.

Zach Praiss

New Poll Measures Public Sentiment on Section 230, Antitrust Actions, Election Misinformation

Zach Praiss

Broad Coalition Urges Facebook To #StopGroupRecs Until Election Results Are Certified

Facebook Groups pose a singular threat to this election season. They’ve become hidden breeding grounds for disinformation campaigns and organizing platforms for extremists. And Facebook’s AI actively grows these dangerous networks by promoting them to vulnerable users.

Zach Praiss

Democracy Will Only Work If the Social Media Giants Grow Up

A new Election Integrity Roadmap released by the nonprofit group Accountable Tech shows that a different path is possible. Created in conjunction with leading technologists, civil rights leaders, and disinformation experts, the Roadmap outlines tangible steps that platforms can take to defend the integrity of the November elections.

Zach Praiss

Accountable Tech Launches Election Integrity Roadmap For Social Media Platforms

Accountable Tech launched a comprehensive Election Integrity Roadmap for social media platforms as they navigate an election season fraught with unprecedented challenges.

Zach Praiss