Debunking Misinformation and Fear: A Post-Debate Analysis of the 2024 Presidential Race
By Alexis Crews (Senior Fellow, Information Integrity) and April Avant
The 2024 presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump highlighted the ongoing role of misinformation in shaping public opinion and driving political narratives. Both candidates made bold claims across topics like immigration, the economy, crime, and foreign policy, but how much of it was grounded in fact? In my latest report, "Debunking the Divide: A Post-Debate Analysis on Misinformation, Fear, and Election Integrity," I thoroughly fact-check the most attention-grabbing claims from the debate, analyzing their impact and how this rhetoric could influence the 2024 election. With so much at stake, it's critical to break down the effects of letting misinformation slide.
I’ve worked in the political field since 2011, and misinformation has always been a go-to tactic for political operatives. Over the past year, I’ve tracked misinformation trends in every major global election, exploring how false claims—whether made by politicians, commentators, or foreign agents—can destabilize election processes. In the U.S., where everything is politicized and neutral ground is rare, fact-checking is more important than ever. The September 10th debate was the only chance for both presidential candidates to share a stage and make their case directly to the American people.
As resources at technology companies become more constrained and foreign actors (i.e., Iran and Russia) continue to use both new and traditional tactics to influence campaigns, every claim matters. The September 10th debate highlighted key thematic areas that election integrity specialists have learned to monitor, as well as blind spots that often emerge in the post-election period. I approach elections in three phases: Pre-election (when candidates announce their runs and campaigning begins), Early Voting/Voting (from the first mail-in ballot to the closing of polling stations and counting of votes), and Certification (when votes are certified, ballots are cured, and electoral counts are confirmed). We’re nearing the end of phase 1, and as Get Out The Vote (GOTV) efforts ramp up—with each state having different rules—debunking political narratives now will give us more space and time to focus on the complexities of the voting process itself.
Hopefully, this report can be used internally to support the work that fact-checkers are already doing and help free up capacity to focus on Phase 2 of the election before it fully gets underway. By tackling and debunking key misinformation now, we can ensure that fact-checkers have the bandwidth to address the critical issues and narratives that will arise during early voting and Election Day.
A Vital Resource for Election Integrity Specialists
Let’s get one thing straight—fact-checking isn’t just about calling out lies. It’s about accountability, and this report serves as an essential tool for election integrity specialists who are fighting to keep our democratic processes clean. Misinformation isn’t just a voter issue; it’s a major problem for those protecting the election process. If we’re going to combat disinformation, it’s vital that we arm ourselves with the facts and context needed to debunk these claims effectively.
As we’ve seen over the last few election cycles, misinformation has become a key strategy for undermining trust in democratic systems. Election integrity specialists play a critical role in protecting these systems, and this report provides them with the factual foundation needed to challenge falsehoods that have real-world consequences. To hear more about what political experts are concerned about, check out All Tech Is Human’ livestream: Demystifying the Conversation on Technology and Elections.