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As democracy faces growing global threats, technology must support, not undermine, democratic values. With the US presidential elections on November 5, 2024, social media’s role in electoral processes is crucial. While these platforms are essential for information dissemination, they also pose risks of spreading misinformation and fueling polarization. Narratives that downplay technological harms or blame users are misleading, as many lack a full understanding of these impacts. This was the focus of the event organized by the Inter-American Dialogue’s Rule of Law Program and Luminate.
In her opening remarks, Tamara Taraciuk Broner, director of the Dialogue’s Rule of Law Program, emphasized the importance of strengthening ties between the US and Latin America. She called for incorporating new perspectives into these discussions and learning from the insights and challenges of recent elections in the region.
Cecilia Galván, senior researcher and director of the Research and Advocacy Program at Civic Compass, shared lessons from Argentina’s recent elections. She stressed the importance of avoiding excessive regulation. Her main concern was the arbitrary nature of content removal, especially when it occurs without formal registration. “We have to monitor it together, civil society flagging and reporting, and researchers finding evidence,” she noted. From Venezuela, Iria Puyosa, senior research fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Democracy+Tech Initiative, cautioned that “overregulation creates censoring.” She advocated for promoting informed, open discussions and combating misinformation through public education and engagement. Puyosa emphasized the need for platforms to be transparent about government requests and their economic structures to curb misinformation.
Pedro Vaca Villarreal, special rapporteur for freedom of expression at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, argued that while international standards are vital, a single, uniform standard is insufficient and overlooks the complexities of a divided society. “It is necessary to foster electoral norms and customs that encourage political parties to promote legitimacy and trust in democratic institutions,” he said, proposing laws that would require political parties to prevent disinformation. While misinformation itself is not new, its digital form presents a novel challenge, noted Martha Tudón, digital rights program officer at ARTICLE 19, Office for Mexico and Central America. Tudón highlighted the importance of digital literacy, adding that “people should be able to question what they are consuming.”
To close the event, Felipe Estefan, vice president and head of Luminate’s Washington, DC Office, pointed out that “this is a conversation about transparency but also a conversation about how those who hold power in society will wield that power taking into consideration the diverse perspectives that ought to be informing those debates and being held accountable when they don’t wield that power in the pursuit of public interest.”
