Click here to view the videos from Sessions 1 and 2.

Click here to view the videos of the keynote address and Sessions 3 and 4.

With every election cycle, political campaigns become more and more reliant on online platforms to target voters. Yet, regulatory measures for campaigns have not kept pace with the rapid development of digital campaigning. The public is largely in the dark about the tactics campaigns use on platforms like TikTok, Google and Facebook to distribute their campaign messaging.

In this day-long symposium, the Center for Information Technology Policy (CITP) and the Center for the Study of Democratic Politics (CSDP) has assembled experts to discuss the extent of the influence online platforms have on elections. We will discuss the strategies campaigns use to influence voters, including the use of social media influencers, and how we can develop mechanisms that promote democratic oversight of digital campaigns.

On the heels of the 2022 midterms, our goal is to learn from recent elections and help us improve federal and state mechanisms for monitoring online campaigning in time for 2024.

Agenda

Session 1 (9 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.): Understanding the Evolving Use of Online Platform Tools in Shaping Campaign Strategies

Panelists:

• NaLette Brodnax, Georgetown University
• Solomon Messing, Independent
• Katie Harbath, Anchor Change (remote)
• Kevin Munger, Penn State University

Moderator: Andy Guess, Princeton University

Session 2 (10:30 a.m. -11:45 a.m.): Addressing the Challenges of Monitoring Campaign Activities Online

Panelists:

• Christo Wilson, Northeastern (remote)
• Aleksandra Korolova, Princeton University (remote)
• Surya Mattu, Princeton University
• Silvia Kim, American University 
• Orestis Papakyriakopoulos, Sony AI (remote)

Moderator: Rebecca Weiss, Princeton

Lunch and Keynote (Noon to 1 p.m.)

Keynote address Commissioner Weintraub at 12:30 p.m.

Session 3: (1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.): Understanding the Potential Harms of Digital Campaigns

Panelists:

• Zhao Li, Princeton University
• Brandon Stewart, Princeton University
• Bridget Barrett, UNC Chapel Hill
• Eric Manning, Princeton University

Moderator: Jonathan Mayer, Princeton University

Session 4: (2:20 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.): Developing Regulatory Responses that Promote Oversight

Panelists:

• Commissioner Ellen Weintraub
• Ian Vandewalker, Brennan Center
• Sean Flynn, Washington State Public Disclosure Commission

Moderator: Mihir Kshirsagar, Princeton University

This event is co-hosted by the Center for Information Technology Policy (CITP) and the Center for the Study of Democratic Politics (CSDP).