Just a few years ago, Americans were overwhelmingly optimistic about the power of new technologies to foster an informed and engaged society. More recently, however, that confidence has been challenged by emerging concerns over the role that internet and technology companies — especially social media — now play in our […] Read more »
Most Oppose Micro-Targeting in Online Political Ads
In the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and Gallup’s latest research, a solid majority of Americans do not want political campaigns to be able to micro-target them through digital ads: 72% say that internet companies should make no information about its users available to political campaigns in order […] Read more »
The Problems Inherent in Political Polling
… When modern polling began, in the nineteen-thirties, George Gallup claimed that it rekindled the tradition of the town meeting, but most members of Congress considered it to be, as one wrote, “in contradiction to representative government.” In 1949, the political scientist Lindsay Rogers complained that “pollsters have dismissed as […] Read more »
Few Americans are confident in tech companies to prevent misuse of their platforms in the 2020 election
Nearly three-quarters of Americans (74%) express little or no confidence in technology companies like Facebook, Twitter and Google to prevent the misuse of their platforms to influence the 2020 presidential election, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in January. At the same time, 78% say these companies have […] Read more »
Bloomberg’s counterattacks may just resonate with Democrats
… I’ve been skeptical about Bloomberg’s chances and remain so. He has plenty of assets and liabilities as a Democratic candidate. But I’m at least a little less skeptical after seeing his counterpunching when attacked by Trump. Polls show that Democrats are “angry” with Trump, and a take-the-gloves-off approach has […] Read more »
American voters worry they can’t spot misleading information, poll finds
Four years after Russia launched a cyber campaign to disrupt and influence the 2016 presidential campaign, about a third of Americans say misleading stories on social media pose the biggest threat to the safety of U.S. elections, and half think President Donald Trump encourages election interference, according to the latest […] Read more »