Make it So, Now! - 10 Ways Tech Platforms Can Safeguard the 2020 Election

"Ten things technology platforms can do to safeguard the 2020 U.S. election" is an urgent and vital statement that we should all read -- and do all we can to make happen -- especially if you have any connection to the platforms, Congress, or regulators (or the press). Hopefully, anyone reading this understands why this is urgent (but the article begins with a brief reminder).

Thirteen prominent thought leaders "met...to discuss immediate steps the major social media companies can take to help safeguard our democratic process and mitigate the weaponization of their platforms in the run-up to the 2020 U.S. elections. They published this as a "living document."

Here is their list of  "What can be done … now" (the article explains each):

1. Remove and archive fraudulent and automated accounts
2. Clearly identify paid political posts — even when they’re shared
3. Use consistent definitions of an ad or paid post
4. Verify and accurately disclose advertising entities in political ads
5. Require certification for political ads to receive organic reach
6. Remove pricing incentives for presidential candidates that reward virality (including a limit on microtargeting)
7. Provide detailed resources with accurate voting information at top of feeds
8. Provide a more transparent and consistent set of data in political ad archives
9. Clarifying where they draw the line on “lying”
10. Be transparent about the resources they are putting into safety and security

All of these should be do-able in a matter of months.  While many of the signatories "...are working on longer-term ways to create a healthier, safer internet, [they] are proposing more immediate steps that could be implemented before the 2020 election for Facebook and other social media platforms to consider." 

The writers include "a Facebook co-founder, former Facebook, Google and Twitter employees, early Facebook and Twitter investors, academics, non-profit leaders, national security and public policy professionals:" John Borthwick, Sean Eldridge, Yael Eisenstat, Nir Erfat, Tristan Harris, Justin Hendrix, Chris Hughes, Young Mie Kim, Roger McNamee, Adav Noti, Eli Pariser, Trevor Potter and Vivian Schiller.

I, too, am working on longer term issues, as outlined in this recent summary in the context of some important think tank reports: Regulating our Platforms -- A Deeper Vision.  Similarly, I have addressed one of the most urgent stop-gap issues (which is part of their #6), in 2020: A Goldilocks Solution for False Political Ads on Social Media is Emerging).