Challenges to Democracy in the Digital Information Realm (21 april) Stanford University

THE TRUST PROBLEM: What is the role of the U.S. government in facilitating consensus and reducing polarization at home?

• Moderator: Renée DiResta

• Speakers: Ben Ginsberg, Larry Diamond, Nicole Wong, Rashad Robinson

President Barack Obama will deliver a keynote speech about disinformation and challenges to democracy in the digital information realm. The Obama Foundation is co-hosting the event.

DESIGNING FOR DEMOCRATIC DISCOURSE: What is the role for media and tech companies to ensure quality, access, and participation?

• Moderator: Marietje Schaake

• Speakers: Chris Best, Maria Ressa, Peter Hamby, Safiya Noble

THE THREAT OF DIGITAL AUTHORITARIANISM: What are the most effective ways to defend open democratic systems in a global digitized world?

• Moderator: Eileen Donahoe

• Speakers: Ambassador Anne Marie Engtoft Larsen, Ben Rhodes, Halimah Delaine Prado, Peter Pomerantsev, Shanthi Kalathil

The student lottery administered by FSI is now closed. Randomly selected students have been notified via email.

https://www.obama.org/democracy-challenges-2022/

Changes in the way people create and consume information poses a threat to democracy and it is a particular challenge to our leaders working on a wide range of issues.

“There is a consistent theme which is young people are trying to bring about change and they keep on confronting institutional barriers that make it hard for them and the communities they’re working with to get anything done,” President Obama said during his conversation in Chicago with The Atlantic‘s Jeffrey Goldberg. “A lot of the reason that it’s so hard to bring about change is we live in a media environment now that elevates falsehoods as much as truths, that divides people more than it brings them together.”

We believe if we invest in the next generation, these are the leaders who will create the change we seek and foster the inclusive democracy we need.