Unless Congress takes more time to understand and then to craft careful remedies, the emerging challenges for open government that Facebook is implicated in – from automated activity to algorithmic transparency to public speech on private platforms to data ethics and protections to anti-trust concerns to artificial intelligence – will most likely be obscured by more sound and fury emanating from Washington that ultimately signifies nothing.
Continue readingFacebook’s opacity in Seattle shows why self-regulation on digital disclosure isn’t enough
The public should be able to easily see the source of campaign ads though disclaimers and online disclosures, no matter where we live or what network, platform or device we view them on, so that we can understand who is seeking to influence our elections. Transparency is a necessary but insufficient measure to detect and deter influence, whatever city or state people live in.
Continue readingCongress should hold the Facebook Election Commission accountable to its transparency commitments
In the wake of foreign interference on national elections using its platform, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg committed to more political ad transparency in video and text shared with billions of users. The public interest, however, requires Congress and the FEC to hold the world's largest social network accountable.
Continue readingTechnology companies should publish political advertising files online
In the wake of the unprecedented role social media played in the 2016 election and in anticipation of misinformation campaigns to come, the need for Facebook, Google and other operators of social media platforms should be just as transparent about political ads as terrestrial broadcasters.
Continue readingWord gets around: Chattanooga adopts Facebook chatbot for open data
Inspired by Kansas City’s experiment with a Facebook "chatbot" for open data, Chattanooga has now made their own. This is a great example of how open cities can learn from one another, adopting and adapting innovative tools for their own communities.
Continue readingIn Kansas City, residents have a new friend on Facebook: an open data chatbot
Just because data is open doesn’t mean it’s easy to use. Kansas City wants to see if its Facebook chatbot can change that.
Continue readingFacebook prompts U.S. users to register to vote — transparency should follow
When millions of people opened Facebook this morning, they found one of the most important prompts it has ever sent to its users: a link to register to vote or share that you have already done so.
Continue readingAs campaign ads move online, the public gets left in the dark
TV is still the juggernaut of advertising, but it's also important to look at where political campaigns are spending their money online. And the rules around Internet ads are weak to say the least.
Continue readingDeletes of the Week: Don’t automate tweets, write them
Despite the fact that nearly every member of Congress is on Twitter, Politwoops shows there are still those who awkwardly cut corners — with poor results.
Continue readingComplete financial opacity in record-breaking Indian elections
In the world's second most expensive election process, India faces serious issues as its opaque political finance regime leaves over 800 million voters in the dark about who is funding the campaigns.
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