FCC bans robocalls using deepfake voice clones − but AI-generated disinformation still looms over elections

Deepfake technology is widely available, and a pivotal election year lies ahead. The FCC banned AI robocalls, but AI-enhanced disinformation campaigns remain a threat.

Joan Donovan, Assistant Professor of Journalism and Emerging Media Studies, Boston University • conversation
Feb. 8, 2024 ~6 min

Fake Biden robocall to New Hampshire voters highlights how easy it is to make deepfakes − and how hard it is to defend against AI-generated disinformation

Deepfake technology is widely available, and a pivotal election year lies ahead. The fake Biden robocall is likely to be just the latest of a series of AI-enhanced disinformation campaigns.

Joan Donovan, Assistant Professor of Journalism and Emerging Media Studies, Boston University • conversation
Jan. 23, 2024 ~7 min


Negativity bias boosted voter fraud conspiracy theories online

"...the spread of voter fraud messages on Twitter was driven by a bias for tweets with more negative emotion..."

Gregory Filiano-Stony Brook • futurity
Sept. 25, 2023 ~4 min

Speedier mail delivery could boost voter turnout

More efficient US mail delivery can boost voter turnout in all states no matter what their mail voting laws are, a new study shows.

Sara Zaske-Washington State • futurity
Sept. 5, 2023 ~5 min

State voting laws don’t really affect election results

Despite the rhetoric on both sides of the political aisle, state voting laws have very small effects on election outcomes, research finds.

Taylor McNeil-Tufts • futurity
Aug. 17, 2023 ~9 min

Voter ID: most people are terrible at matching faces to photos, making polling checks unreliable

Research suggests that photo ID checks at polling stations risk voters being turned away because of errors.

Katie Gray, Associate Professor, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading • conversation
May 10, 2023 ~5 min

Early and mail-in voting: Research shows they don't always bring in new voters

Compared with past midterms, voter turnout among young people jumped in 2022 – but it was still below 30%.

Jan Leighley, Professor of Government, American University School of Public Affairs • conversation
Dec. 6, 2022 ~5 min

Energy transitions: why countries respond differently to the same problem

The current energy crisis is an opportunity to accelerate the transition towards clean energy – but some countries are better than others at pursuing major energy reform.

Jared Finnegan, Lecturer in Public Policy, UCL • conversation
Nov. 17, 2022 ~7 min


Americans Can Agree on One Thing: Happy Hours

VOA Learning English • voa
Nov. 16, 2022 ~5 min

Are women less electable? Not if you cut ‘pragmatic bias’

"One aspect of pragmatic bias that is especially pernicious is that people who themselves do not hold gender biases...might still act against women because of what they see around them."

Melissa De Witte-Stanford • futurity
Feb. 16, 2022 ~11 min

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