How to Stop Disinformation in Democracy: Citizens’ Assemblies as an Antidote to Skyrocketing Disinformation in Elections

<p dir="ltr">Disinformation skyrockets when elections are held with tremendous social harm and detriment to human rights. Part one of this report details how the 2024 elections in the United States generated unprecedented disinformation in the areas of: 1.1 Sexist Disinformation, 1.2 Anti-LGBTQ+ Disinformation, 1.3 Racist Disinformation, 1.4 Xenophobic Disinformation, 1.5 Vaccine Disinformation, and 1.6 Economic Disinformation. Part two of this report demonstrates how using citizens’ assemblies for democratic policy-making limits the impact of disinformation, drawing on the empirical successes of citizens’ assemblies in Ireland and France on issues such as same-sex marriage, reproductive rights, and the climate crisis. With disinformation in future elections projected to accelerate, this report calls for increased use of citizens’ assemblies in democratic policy-making to limit the impact of disinformation and better secure human rights.</p>