In the wake of alleged Russian interference in the election, many Americans have expressed concern about possible future foreign attempts to influence American elections. But these discussions often fail to construct a complete picture of the threat. Among other things, they miss three relevant considerations.
The first is a question of hypocrisy. The United States assiduously intervenes in the elections of foreign governments and citizens, promoting or preventing political change in accordance with our national interest. It has bugged and surveilled governmental offices, provided millions in secret campaign funds to opposition politicians, and spread false narratives that polarized voters and created distrust of electoral systems.
Even so, these efforts seldom seem to sway the outcome of a given election. The US public’s gullibility is probably the main reason, but there are also other factors, including the complexity of electoral campaigns, peculiarities in turnout patterns, and other factors that can have subtle effects on the final result.
Nonetheless, civil and voting rights advocates should be aware that digital tools can be abused for electoral purposes in a growing number of countries. These tools are becoming more advanced, easier for disruptive actors to access and manipulate, and harder to detect. As they are layered with racially exploitative fearmongering, they can amplify voter intimidation and threaten to erode trust in election integrity.
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