Protecting Elections in the United States

Project

Combatting real-world harassment of local US election officials - and the economy that fuels it online.
Our AI-driven investigation uncovered widespread harassment of local US elections officials on US social media - where this activity is posted, glorified, and generates income. Our initiative counters this threat to democracy to protect free elections in 2024 and beyond.
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In recent surveys, one in three US election officials reports feeling unsafe in their jobs, and one in five reports a plan to quit their post. This leaves US election infrastructure dangerously vulnerable at a time of deepening partisan crisis. 

Social media is known as a major catalyst in this trend of harm, but the complexity and scale of these platforms makes exposure of harms, and therefore accountability and change, all but impossible.
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In 2022, Pluro Labs applied new AI-enabled research technology to complete the first systematic analysis of harassment and disruption in local US elections on one the world's leading social media platforms.

Our findings showed hundreds of videos that depict, glorify, and monetize the harassment, interference, and targeting of local election workers and officials across the United States. This content includes election law-breaking, while driving incitement against election workers and safe election process. Worst, most actors involved, including tech platforms, make money through this activity - comprising a thriving online economy fueling harms to safe and secure elections.
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This ongoing 'engine of harm' - through both real world interference and disinformation - is actively posing risks to safe and secure elections in November 2024.

In 2024, armed with newfound data and insight into this trend, Pluro Labs has partnered with nonpartisan leaders in election law, election administration, and law enforcement to counter this threat and deepen resilience ahead of the November 2024 elections. 

We are working to:

  • Remove channels from tech platform in question that drive real world election law breaking and harassment of election workers - before the 2024 election
  • Inform and enable election officials and law enforcement to respond to unique risks and harms from this trend
  • Monitor harmful actors and networks through Election Day to enable rapid response as necessary
  • Strengthen efforts to enhance election safety and protections for election workers nationwide
  • Shape lasting protections on tech platforms clearly banning election worker harassment and interference in election process

Stat

One in three election officials in the US says they feel unsafe in their jobs. One in five plans to quit.

"After Nightmare Year, Election Officials are Quitting"

New York Times, 2021