Pledge for Election Integrity

Candidates for Political Office and Their Supporters Are a Source of Disinformation…It’s Time to Do Something About It!

Much has been written about foreign actors such as Russia and Iran who have and are spreading false information about U.S. elections.  Indeed, 13 Russians were indicted for using social media to manipulate the 2016 election.  Ironically, U.S. candidates for public office and their supporters are also in the business of spreading disinformation…either about an opponent or spreading misinformation in the furtherance of a fundraising initiative. Social media manipulation, often in misleading ways, is becoming a staple of campaigns and candidate supporters.  “Black-Hat” PR firms now openly market their expertise in developing disinformation campaigns.  These efforts have led to smear campaigns using deep fakes, GIF’s and other manipulated media; the use of imposter Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts to spread false information; and the use of bots and troll farms to magnify the spread of misinformation.  These tactics have led to organized efforts to have candidates and political parties promise to voluntarily reject such tactics.  One such effort is the “Pledge for Election Integrity” developed by the non-profit Alliance for Democracy.  Two candidates for President, Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren have signed the pledge.

The students in the Truth, Deception and Information Disorder Honors Praxis Lab have developed a Pledge For Election Integrity adapted from the Alliance for Democracy pledge and have challenged each of the candidates for Utah Governor to sign.  

Email the candidates and ask them if they have signed the Pledge for Election Integrity.