Evening Briefing: The Rising Concern of Disinformation Among Latino Voters
Good evening! Tonight, my colleague Jazmine Ulloa explores the escalating worries of Latino voting rights activists regarding the pervasive threat of disinformation. Additionally, we examine how the Harris campaign is leveraging technology to connect with hard-to-reach voters who may not respond to traditional canvassing methods. — Jess Bidgood
By Jazmine Ulloa
About a year ago, while conducting focus groups with Latino voters in Arizona and Nevada, María Teresa Kumar began to notice a disturbing trend. She frequently encountered anti-American sentiments that echoed across different discussions. This led her to question whether the voters had been influenced by the slew of videos and memes circulating online that seemed designed to erode trust in the American democratic process.
Activists like Kumar, who leads Voto Latino—the largest organization focused on mobilizing young Hispanic voters in the U.S.—have been battling disinformation targeting Latino voters since the 2016 election cycle. However, in this election year, they assert that the volume and sophistication of misleading content have reached unprecedented levels, prompting them to raise the alarm.
Kumar’s concerns were significant enough that she brought the issue of disinformation aimed at Latino communities directly to President Biden during a visit to the White House earlier this spring. He seemed to grasp the gravity of the situation and suggested that the problem might be even more severe than they had anticipated. “He said, ‘You don’t know the half of it,’” Kumar recounted, highlighting the urgency of addressing this issue.
Concerns About Foreign Influence
When discussing disinformation and its impact on Latino voters, Kumar and her fellow activists have a comprehensive list of apprehensions. One of the most pressing issues is the potential for foreign influence in the upcoming elections. Recent months have seen significant developments in this area, including the indictment of an American commentator for Russian television along with his spouse.
The United States government has accused Russia’s global television network, RT, of functioning as an extension of the nation’s intelligence agencies. In response, social media platforms have intensified their efforts to block content originating from RT and other Russian media outlets, recognizing the critical need to safeguard the electoral process from external manipulation.
