New Initiative 'Democracy Is … ' Engages Communities Urging Media and Tech to Promote Facts and Freedom in 2024

WASHINGTON — In the lead-up to Democracy Day on Sept. 15, a coalition of civil-rights, media-advocacy and tech-accountability groups announced the launch of Democracy Is …, a new initiative that will train journalists on covering extremism; engage members of the public in identifying and flagging disinformation on social-media platforms; and provide other needed resources to influence media and technology platforms to better serve our communities and strengthen our democracy.

The Democracy Is … initiative is calling on media and tech companies to prioritize truth over sensationalism, accountability over profits and democracy over division. The coalition has provided concrete steps for media companies and technology platforms to take to respond to communities’ needs. Throughout the fall, Democracy Is … will host events and provide tools for concerned people and workers in media and tech to hold the industry accountable and safeguard information integrity ahead of and following the U.S. elections.

The Free Press-led Democracy Is … coalition includes Accountable Tech, America’s Voice, the Center for Countering Digital Hate, Common Cause, Democracy SOS, the Disinfo Defense League, GLAAD, the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, Issue One, Onyx Impact, People for the American Way, UltraViolet, UnidosUS, United We Dream and the Women’s Media Center.

Democracy Is … will kick off with the following event:

Democracy Is … a Call to Action: This digital rally will be held on Fri., Sept. 13, at 12 p.m. ET. The event will feature experts on the frontlines of democracy defense to share the stakes facing communities this election cycle and the ways that media and tech must step up.

There are two planned partner events, with more that will be announced in the coming week:

100 Days: Dismantling Disinfo, Defending Democracy Panel Series: This series, led by the Disinfo Defense League, will help members of the public mitigate election disinformation until Election Day.

Engaging Communities of Color with Your Election Coverage: This webinar for journalists, led by Election SOS, will explore ways to authentically connect and engage community members with election coverage.

The Democracy Is … initiative has also released resources for various audiences, including:

How Newsrooms Can Address Election-Related Disinformation: A Journalist Checklist

How Communities Can Prepare for Protests in 2024: A ‘Know Your Rights’ Guide

Free Press Senior Counsel and Director of Digital Justice and Civil Rights Nora Benavidez said:

“Democracy is often a hollow term: It’s a practice that has excluded many of us for decades and has long failed people of color, women, religious minorities and other communities. And right now democracies are backsliding both here in the United States and elsewhere around the world. We need to reclaim democracy for all this year. We created the Democracy Is … initiative to spark connections among communities and give people the tools they need to safeguard facts and fight manipulation in our media.

“At a time of rising authoritarianism around the globe, it’s more important than ever for media and tech companies to prioritize democracy over their own bottom lines. But in both sectors right now a narrow focus on profits is obscuring the need to keep people informed and promote trustworthy content so that communities can engage directly with the democratic process. That’s why we launched Democracy Is — to urge these companies to meet this moment.

“Our media system is broken, with an average of two local newspapers shutting down every week and big media corporations choosing profits over critical coverage. We need coverage that engages people with civic life, that fights distrust and disinformation by accurately and unapologetically reporting on U.S. elections and the state of our democracy. And while our traditional media falter, social media has only exacerbated and deepened division. Social media should not be a toxic place, yet most of the largest online platforms have rolled back essential safeguards on content moderation and trust and safety at a time when they should be doing more — not less — to rein in harmful and violent manipulation of users.

“Democracy Is … was founded on the premise that people power can disrupt institutional failings. We have brought together organizations with core recommendations that both media and tech companies should take to protect users and give people the information they need to participate fully in their communities and our democracy. The time to act is now.”

Hearken CEO Jennifer Brandel, who is also the co-creator of Democracy SOS and Democracy Day, said:

“If you work in media or tech and haven’t yet examined your role in whether American democracy ends in 2024 or has a shot at continuing and improving: There’s no time like right now. You may think you don’t have power to change the systems we’re all trapped within, but you do.”