It had been four years since we last visited Wake Washington. That visit to present and discuss mis/disinformation happened just weeks before COVID-19, and we promised not to be harbingers of disaster this time! Just to make sure, we changed our topic to “Election Mis/Disinformation: How to Spot it, why it’s Effective, and What We Can Do to Avoid It.”

Twenty WFU Alumni and friends joined us on a beautiful Saturday morning as we discussed the mechanics of election mis/disinformation, why we are susceptible to it, what is here now and what is coming in 2024, and how we can be prepared. As our taxonomy, we used the seven types of mis/disinformation, as identified by Claire Wardle, Professor of the Practice of Health Services, Policy, and Practice. We also discussed how “pink slime journalism” and AI are creating challenges globally in a year where 4 billion people worldwide are eligible to vote. We tried to end positively with what we can do as individuals to address mis/disinformation, build community, and improve and optimize our news consumption!

As always, thanks to the incredible work of Jennifer Richwine, Executive Director of the Wake Washington Center, and her team, the trip and presentation were both smooth and successful! It was wonderful to see so many alumni that we recognized and catch up with some good friends! We even managed to slip in a Saturday afternoon to the National Portrait Gallery before driving back to North Carolina on Sunday!