Paper
This paper examines the growing role of content creators as information sources in modern society, proposing frameworks for effective collaboration between creators and election officials and offering recommendations for election officials to develop their own social media content.
Traditional news sources like newspapers and television are declining in influence as Americans, especially young adults, are losing faith in legacy media and turning instead to social media as a key source of news and information.
As social media platforms are designed to encourage more passive news consumption and risk exposing people to misinformation, election officials must actively intervene to provide accurate, accessible, and trustworthy election information.
This paper examines how state and local election officials can understand and use the content creator landscape to spread credible election information online and meet voters where they are at. It outlines the current social media news atmosphere, explores models for partnering with creators, and offers guidance for officials to develop effective content on their own.
Policy Brief
Technology has enriched the lives of Americans with novel communication choices. It has also made it more difficult to reach everyone in emergencies. In a new policy brief, Mary W. Graham, senior fellow at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation, explores this new paradox of the digital transition.
Article
A summary of the March 30, 2026 event that welcomed Gerrit von Zedlitz to present on new and less-studied forms of targeted transparency—how they work, when they emerge, and whether they actually make a difference.
Feature
The Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard Kennedy School, has announced the launch of a new Program on Democracy and the Informed Public, a major initiative designed to strengthen democratic governance by improving how people access, understand, and use essential information.
