Issue One comments on key social media case following SCOTUS oral arguments

Following today’s Supreme Court oral arguments in Murthy v. Missouri, a landmark case addressing the role that government officials can play in communicating with social media companies, Issue One’s Director of Election Protection Carah Ong Whaley issued the following statement:

“Rogue actors and foreign adversaries have never had such a powerful tool for societal disruption at their fingertips as they do with unchecked social media platforms and generative AI. Maintaining the integrity of our information ecosystem is an imperative for our democracy. Meeting this challenge falls principally on the social media platforms propelling false information through their algorithms, but also on the American intelligence community, law enforcement, and the election officials on the frontlines of our democracy. Open lines of communication between these stakeholders are crucial for identifying emerging threats and cybersecurity vulnerabilities, sharing accurate information about where and when to vote, and disseminating it to the public, especially during elections.

“In Murthy v. Missouri, the Supreme Court has the opportunity to affirm the importance, and the constitutionality, of these partnerships. We would never want the government to have control of the platforms — or of any private publishing entity — but we do want them to be able to communicate with these companies. We are optimistic that the Court’s final ruling will make it easier, not harder, to curb the spread of deceptive and false information online in the lead up to the 2024 election and beyond.”