Democracy

Technology’s Threat to Democracy

Katia Vales discusses how advances in technology have not only brought countless benefits to humanity but have also infringed on people’s privacy. The author suggests that continuing to use technology to protect the very liberties that the same technology jeopardizes stands as a significant contradiction to the institutions of this country. While it may feel “justified” to use these invasive technologies because of criminal actions, it is vital to consider the bigger picture and think about what it means for citizens to exist in a state of continuous monitoring.

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Operational Risk Challenges to the U.S. Election Infrastructure

Jeff Leonard discusses the risks to the most recently identified critical infrastructure sector, election infrastructure (the facilities, technologies, people, processes, political parties, and legal frameworks required to conduct elections). This paper examines the risks, and identifies a system design, the technologies, and an operational architecture that would mitigates the risks to which modern election processes are currently exposed.

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Risks of Fake News to the American Democracy

Lukas Guericke discusses the toxic spread of “fake news” into the landscape of legitimate news organizations, and the rising tide of associated risks to government, news organizations, and ultimately each individual citizen. “Fake News” is not simply an inconvenience or insult, it is a threat to the access of U.S. citizens to accurate information, and the fundamental protections a free and independent press provides to a democratic society.

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