INFORMED: Conversations on Democracy in the Digital Age

INFORMED: Conversations on Democracy in the Digital Age
INFORMED: Conversations on Democracy in the Digital Age

Nov. 28 – 30, 2022
Hosted by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

 

Register now to watch the virtual conference, which engages leaders in the biggest questions at the intersection of technology, media and democracy.

Over three days, INFORMED will explore topics from tech platform regulation to election integrity and the ongoing infodemic, with Secretaries of State Brad Raffensperger (R, Georgia) and Jocelyn Benson (D, Michigan),  Alondra Nelson, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; Tim Wu, special assistant to the president for technology and competition policy, Frances Haugen, transparency advocate and data engineer and Chris Krebs, former director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, among others.

Join the conversation by registering now.

AGENDA

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH

WELCOME

4:00 PM– 5:45 PM ET

Alberto Ibargüen, Knight Foundation

John Sands, Knight Foundation

ELECTION AND INFORMATION INTEGRITY: DEMOCRACY IN A DIGITAL WORLD

Elected leaders and experts discuss the latest efforts to protect the security and integrity of the democratic process.

PART I

Hon. Jocelyn Benson, State of Michigan

Hon. Brad Raffensperger, State of Georgia

Major Garrett, CBS News

Introduction: David Becker, Center for Election Innovation and Research

PART II

Renée DiResta, Stanford Internet Observatory

Katie Harbath, Anchor Change

Chris Krebs, Krebs Stamos Group and Former Director, U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency

Kate Starbird, University of Washington

Major Garrett, CBS News

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29TH

RESEARCH AND POLICY:
OPPORTUNITIES FOR A SHARED AGENDA

8:45 AM – 9:35 AM ET

In her role at the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy, Alondra Nelson leads efforts to ensure federal policy is informed by evidence. This conversation will explore how researchers and policymakers can work together to advance the public interest.

Alondra Nelson, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

Samsher (Sam) Singh Gill, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

Introduction: Alberto Ibargüen, Knight Foundation

IN CONVERSATION: FRANCES HAUGEN AND JEFF HORWITZ ON TECH WHISTLEBLOWING, JOURNALISM AND PUBLIC INTEREST

9:35 AM – 10:25 AM ET

A year after Wall Street Journal published The Facebook Files exposé, whistleblower Frances Haugen sits down with the reporter who broke the story to discuss what we’ve learned since then – and what we still don’t know.

Frances Haugen, Data Engineer and Transparency Advocate

Jeff Horwitz, Wall Street Journal

Introduction: Latanya Sweeney, Harvard Kennedy School

HOW THE CULTURE WARS BECAME THE CONTENT WARS 

11:00 AM – 11:50 AM ET

Experts from the academy and journalism reflect on how online conspiracy became a mainstay in U.S. politics and civic life – and how to address it.

Ben Collins, NBC News

Brandi Collins-Dexter, Harvard Kennedy School

Joan Donovan, Harvard Kennedy School

Alice Marwick, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Introduction: Samuel Woolley, University of Texas at Austin

LESSONS FROM THE FIRST INFODEMIC

12:20 PM – 1:15 PM ET                       

Noted experts discuss how disinformation online continues to affect public health and policy, and what lessons from the COVID response can be applied to the next infodemic.

Dr. Ashish Jha, White House COVID-19 Response

Katelyn Jetelina, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute

Claire Wardle, Brown University School of Public Health

Introduction: Ashley Zohn, Knight Foundation

A NEW MODEL FOR PLATFORM RESEARCH? THE U.S. 2020 FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM ELECTION STUDY 

1:30 PM – 2:20 PM ET

This session will explore a novel collaboration between academics and researchers at Meta to understand the impact of Facebook and Instagram in the context of the 2020 U.S. elections.
Talia Stroud, University of Texas at Austin

Joshua Tucker, New York University

Michael Wagner, University of Wisconsin at Madison

Introduction: Brandon Silverman, Formerly of CrowdTangle

SAFETY IN THE DIGITAL PUBLIC SQUARE

2:40 PM – 3:30 PM ET

Thought leaders from academia, industry and government discuss the technology and policies that can reduce online hate and harassment and protect equal access to digital space.

Mary Anne Franks, University of Miami

Carrie Goldberg, Carrie Goldberg Law

Rosie Hidalgo, White House Gender Policy Council

Sahar Massachi, Integrity Institute
HOW BIG IS TOO BIG? COMPETITION IN THE TECH SECTOR

3:30 PM – 4:20 PM ET

Experts evaluate the tools policymakers have to ensure competition in the tech sector, and whether and how they should be deployed.

Andrew Ferguson, State of Virginia

Doha Mekki, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice

Christopher Yoo, University of Pennsylvania

Introduction: Eli Lehrer, R Street Institute

ON WITH KARA SWISHER: YOEL ROTH AND THE CRISIS AT TWITTER

4:40 PM – 5:30 PM ET

Yoel Roth, Twitter’s former Head of Trust and Safety, gives his first in-depth interview since resigning from the company. He speaks to tech journalist Kara Swisher about Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover, why he chose to leave the company and how platforms moderate online speech. This conversation will be taped live for the New York Magazine podcast “On with Kara Swisher.”

Yoel Roth, Formerly of Twitter

Kara Swisher, Journalist, On with Kara Swisher

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30TH

CAN FIXING THE INTERNET SAVE DEMOCRACY?

9:00 AM – 9:50 AM ET

The internet technologies created to help connect us to information and each other increasingly are being used to drive communities apart and undermine democracy.  As society reflects and technologies evolve, how can we harness this moment to remake an internet that serves us all?

Frank McCourt, Project Liberty

Alberto Ibargüen, Knight Foundation

Introduction: Catherine Stihler, Creative Commons, Chris Lewis, Public Knowledge

ADDRESSING SPANISH-LANGUAGE DISINFORMATION

9:50 AM – 10:35 AM ET

According to the Pew Research Center, nearly three-quarters of U.S. Latinos now get their news online, where the exposure to false or dangerous narratives is more likely. With digital platforms struggling to fact-check and moderate Spanish-language content, what can be done to ensure that Spanish speakers have access to accurate civic information?

Hon. Nellie Gorbea, State of Rhode Island

Javier Marín, El Planeta Media

PERSPECTIVES AND PROVOCATIONS FROM THE FIELD 

11:00 AM – 11:50 AM ET

Scholars share insights from their research on tech, media, and democracy.

Danielle K. Brown, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Deen Freelon, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Christine Rosen, American Enterprise Institute

Dhanaraj Thakur, Center for Democracy & Technology

Introduction: Anabelle Torek, Knight Foundation

IN CONVERSATION: CORY DOCTOROW WITH TIM WU

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM ET

Can better competition in the tech sector solve democracy’s current challenges?

Cory Doctorow, author, activist and journalist

Tim Wu, White House Technology and Competition Policy

CLOSING REMARKS

1:30 PM – 1:40 PM ET

John Sands, Knight Foundation

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