Please consider supporting this newsletter. For $5 a month or $50 a year, you’ll get full access to the archives and one newsletter a week that is just for paid subscribers. You’ll also support my ability to do more research and writing on issues at the intersection of technology and democracy. Also, a huge thank you to everyone who has subscribed!
A good Wednesday morning to you from Washington, DC. I love Summer mornings like this one. Makes me want to get up early more often to enjoy my coffee, read the news and wake up with the world.
I was trying to think about what to write about for today’s newsletter, and I could not pick between a handful of stories. So, at risk of trying to boil the ocean, I decided to do a quick link roundup of what I’m reading and what I find interesting about it.
Let’s start in the world of tech, shall we?
I just finished reading Marc Andreessen’s piece on “Why AI Will Save the World.” This is a good counter-narrative to the AI doomsayers who think the world will end. I also think it’s a good read to understand how many in Silicon Valley think about developing new technologies and the role of trust and safety experts. He manages to bash trust and safety people for only focusing on the bad (that is their job, as he points out) but also says that we need to focus on using AI to help stop bad people from doing bad things. All can be true, and the path forward will be somewhere between Marc and the doomsayers, but this is worth the read regardless.
On Sunday, I wrote about my thoughts on the platforms’ evolution in handling election-related content. Yesterday, Casey Newton gave his perspective on the topic from the angle that platforms are giving up. I can see where he’s coming from on this, but I would have liked to see more on if he really wants tech companies making the call of which presidential candidates can or cannot use their platform and the potential downstream effects of that. In the long run, I think the principles of freedom of expression will limit the amount of content-focused solutions companies or regulators can impose (especially ones about taking content down or leaving it up). Instead, we’ll continue to see movement toward design changes, transparency, and oversight.
Along similar lines, prominent vaccine denyer Robert Kennedy announced he was running for President leading Meta to allow him back on their platform. People run for President all the time to build name ID and push their positions forward, knowing full well they’re not going to win. Who decides which of these folks are or aren’t legitimate? I don’t know the answer to that, but I think we need to re-think the framework by which platforms engage with political and government figures to work through tough questions like that.
A few other pieces worth reading in this area.
Emma Spiro and Kate Starbird have a piece out about how "decades-old research about how and why people share rumors is even more relevant in a world with social media.” They "are convinced that using rumor as a conceptual framework can enhance understanding of today’s information systems, improve official responses, and help rebuild public trust."
It’s mindboggling to remember that it’s only been six months since ChatGPT blew open the door on AI and kicked off a new era of the internet. Axios has a look into their wild six-month ride.
A story that I think will gain more momentum over the coming years is about the first social-media babies growing up and how they feel about the content their parents put of them online. The Atlantic looks at some of them and how they are horrified.
Over in Europe, many platforms got together to hear from EU Commissioner Vera Jourova, who said she expects them to label AI-generated content and outline in their July reports for the Code of Practice on Disinformation how they prepare for the 2024 EU elections.
Finally, the Oversight Board released its 2022 Annual Report, and back in May, I missed that Meta had also released its quarterly update on board progress. Not surprisingly, I remain most interested in two of the seven strategic priorities the Oversight Board wants to do on Meta’s role in elections and civic engagement, and government use of Meta’s platforms.
Let’s quickly turn to the land of politics because two things are catching my eye.
First is the drama around the RNC debates. The first one is scheduled for August 23 in Milwaukee, with the option of a second on the 24th, depending on how many candidates meet the criteria. One of the requirements is to have 40,000 donors triggering a “mad dash for very small donors.” As TV networks battle for other debates - DeSantis doesn’t want any on CNN or MSNBC, and Trump doesn't want to debate all - I think it’s worth remembering that Rumble is the exclusive live stream provider for August 23. There’s a decent chance we could see a few primary debates only on streaming and not on TV if it means the candidates will show up.
Finally, Adimpact analyzes presidential primary spending comparing 2020 and 2024 so far. The change in digital spending is what particularly got my attention:
“Between January and May 2019, Democrats and Republicans both prioritized digital advertising over traditional media (broadcast, cable, radio, and satellite). Democrats spent $16.5M on digital advertisements (primarily on Facebook and Google) and about $800K on broadcast ads during that time frame. Nearly 94% of Democrat total ad spend was on digital. Similarly, digital advertising made up 97% of Republican Presidential spending.
Through May 2023, both parties seem to be utilizing different advertising strategies than last cycle. Republicans and Democrats are more heavily investing in traditional media this year, particularly with ads on cable. While there is significantly more total spending thus far this cycle, digital ads make up only 10% of total Republican Presidential spend, and 42% for Democrats.”
Given more people, not less, are getting their news from digital sources, I question this strategy.
Bonus Content
I continue to get lovely messages from some of you about my piece about reclaiming the fairytale and living as a single person last fall. I’ve started to do some salon dinners to bring women together to celebrate one another and our accomplishments. I wanted to do something special as a memento and asked silvi with the Poetry Store to write us a custom poem. This is what she sent us, and I’m in love.
Calendar
🚨NEW 🚨
June 21, 2023 - Trump 18-month exclusivity term with Truth Social ends assuming he gives notice
Mid-July - Code of practice on disinformation platform reports due
August - End of UK parliamentary session. Must pass Online Safety Bill by then.
Topics to keep an eye on:
TV shows about Facebook - Doomsday Machine and second season of Super Pumped
June 4, 2023 – Guinea Bissau election
June 5-9 - RightsCon
June 6, 2023 - Democracy Alive: The Brussels Summit
June 5 - 9 - WWDC - Apple developer event
June 5, 2023 - The European Commission, European parliament and EU member states are due to agree a final definition for political advertising
June 11, 2023 – Montenegro election
June 19, 2023 - Meta response due on COVID misinfo
June 24 - June 30 - Aspen Ideas Festival
June 24, 2023 – Sierra Leone election
June 25, 2023 – Guatemala election
July 10, 2023 - Trust and Safety Hackathon
July 11-13, 2023 - TrustCon
July 2023 – Sudan election (likely to have further changes due clashes erupted mid-April, despite temporary humanitarian ceasefire,)
July 23, 2023 – Cambodia election
July 23, 2023 - Spain Election
August 10 - 13, 2023 - Defcon
August 23, 2023 - Zimbabwe Election
August-2023 – Eswatini election
August 23, 2023 - First GOP Presidential Primary Debate
Mid-September: All Tech Is Human - Responsible Tech Summit NYC
September 19, 2023 - UN General Assembly high-level debate begins
September 27-29, 2023: Athens Democracy Forum
September 28-29, 2023 - Trust & Safety Research Conference
TBD September: Atlantic Festival
TBD September: Unfinished Live
September 2023 – Bhutan election
September 2023 – Tuvalu election
September 9, 2023 – Maldives election
September 28-29, 2023 - The Atlantic Festival
September 30, 2023 – Slovakia election
September 2023 – Rwanda election
October 2023 – Oman election
October 2023 Poland election
October 8, 2023 – Pakistan election
October 10, 2023 – Liberia election
October 14, 2023 – New Zealand election
October 22, 2023 – Switzerland election
October 29, 2023 – Argentina election
October 2023 – Gabon election
October 2023 – Ukraine election
November 15, 2023 - Aspen Cyber Summit
November 20, 2023 – Marshall Islands election
November 29, 2023 – Argentina election
December 1-3, 2023: Build Peace 2023 Conference
December 20, 2023 – Democratic Republic of the Congo election
December 2023 –Togo election
2023 or 2024 – Peru election
TBD – Dominica election
TBD – Luxembourg election
TBD – Myanmar election
TBD – Spain election
TBD – Gabon election
TBD – Madagascar election
TBD – Haiti election
TBD – Libya election
TBD – Singapore election
2024
January 2024 – Bangladesh election
January 2024 – Finland election
January 13, 2024 – Taiwan election
February 4, 2024 – El Salvador election
February 4, 2024 – Mali election
February 14, 2024 – Indonesia election
February 25, 2024 – Senegal election
February 25, 2024 – Belarus election
March 17, 2024 – Russia election
March 31, 2024 – Ukraine election
April 10, 2024 – South Korea election
April 2024 – Solomon Islands election
April 2024 – Maldives election
May 5, 2024 – Panama election
May 19, 2024 – Dominican Republic election
June 2024 – Mongolia election
June 6-9, 2024 - EU Parliament Elections
July 7, 2024 – Mexico election
July 15 - 18, 2024 - Republican National Convention
August 19 - 22, 2024 - Democratic Convention, Chicago
October 27, 2024 – Uruguay election
October 2024 – Mozambique election
October 2024 – Chad election
November 2024 – Guinea Bissau election
November 2024 – Moldova election
November 2024 – Romania election
November 5, 2024 – United States of America election
November 12, 2024 – Palau election
December 2024 – Croatia election
TBD – Algeria election
TBD – Austria election
TBD – Belgium election
TBD – Botswana election
TBD – Burkina Faso election
TBD – Chad election
TBD – Comoros election
TBD – Croatia election
TBD – Dominica election
TBD – Egypt election
TBD – Ethiopia election
TBD – Georgia election
TBD – Ghana election
TBD – Iceland election
TBD – India election
TBD – Iran election
TBD – Jordan election
TBD – Kiribati election
TBD – Kuwait election
TBD – Lithuania election
TBD – Madagascar election
TBD – Mauritania election
TBD – Mauritius election
TBD – Montenegro election
TBD – North Korea election
TBD – North Macedonia election
TBD – Romania election
TBD – Rwanda election
TBD – San Marino election
TBD – Slovakia election
TBD – South Africa election
TBD – South Sudan election
TBD – Syria election
TBD – Tunisia election
TBD – United States of America election
TBD – Uzbekistan election
TBD – Venezuela election