Information Integrity in Elections

About the Action Coalition

Addressing information pollution in the context of elections is a relatively new field. However, the deployment of sophisticated disinformation tactics is now widely recognized as a low cost and low risk method to influence political outcomes and undermining democratic processes. This Coalition assembles experts from the elections, technology, and media/communications fields to contribute expertise, guidance, and knowledge on effective responses to disinformation and hate speech in elections, including the role of digital technologies. With this community, it will work to achieve the following objectives:

• To improve information sharing and coordination among key stakeholders in electoral assistance and support, to include representatives from the technology sector.
• To assess and understand the most concerning impacts of disinformation on electoral integrity through analysis of recently held elections.
• To gather best practice, case studies and experience to contribute to the development of effective programmatic recommendations and guidance.
• To critically assess how the integration of technology in electoral settings can best contribute to inclusive, participatory, transparent, and peaceful elections.

Targeted outcome

Convening expertise from across the global electoral assistance community with the objective of critically assessing how the integration of technology in electoral settings can best contribute to inclusive, participatory, transparent, and peaceful elections.

Output during the Year of Action

• A programmatic discussion paper to inform and strengthen global and national level mechanisms, decisions and policies linked to information integrity in elections.
• “Information Integrity and Elections” virtual event to highlight and amplify key findings.
• A mapping of key initiatives, including tech solutions, at the global and regional level.

Progress

• Three Action Coaliton meetings conducted with seven confirmed member organizations.
• 4-week global e-consultation launched ‘Promoting Information Integrity in Elections’ (sparkblue.org).

The aim of the abovementioned consultation is to develop consensus about the scale of the problem, discuss responses that work and why and look at how digital technologies can be mobilized to effectively manage information in electoral contexts. This will result in a programmatic discussion paper.

Next steps

• Virtual event on 25 January 2023 to highlight and amplify key findings of the AC.
• Programmatic discussion paper to be made and published.
• Two more Action Coaliton meetings to be held.