Are Social Media Platforms Ready For The Midterms?

As Americans get ready for midterm elections, many social media platforms are tightening up on cybersecurity to protect voters.

For much of the 20th century, news spread through a handful of national television and radio news networks and most major cities had several newspapers. To be heard, the average person might write a letter to the editor or organize a protest. News organizations helped determine what was known to be true and false.  

But now social media hands anyone an instantaneous global megaphone. And algorithms that govern information on big platforms can amplify claims that leaders, including presidents, have considered threats to democracy. 

"Each of us, whether we work at a tech company or consume social media, whether we are a parent, a legislator, an advertiser on one of these platforms, now's the time to pick a side. We have a choice right now. Do we allow our democracy to wither or do we make it better?" said former president Barack Obama.