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