Disinformation and Democracy
Facts matter, especially if a democracy is going to flourish. In functioning democracies, participants need to have access to a shared set of facts. It’s a given that a well-informed electorate desires to have ready-access to actual facts, and understands that there will regularly be, in the mix, facts (e.g. hard truths) that make them uncomfortable. This desire and understanding are also crucial elements of democracy. However, these are not elements that we can take for granted in the US. Combating disinformation in the 2024 election will require all hands on deck.