Should I worry about disinformation?
Local news, social media, & election integrity in an age of distrust
League of Women Voters of Westmoreland County Timely Topics Speaker Series
WHO: League of Women Voters of Westmoreland County
WHAT:
Topic: Should I worry about disinformation? Local news, social media, & election integrity in an age of distrust.
Speaker: Dr. Lara Putnam, Researcher, University of Pittsburgh Disinformation Lab and Professor of History
The basic workings of our elections have become a source of contention in communities across the country. How do we find reliable information about elections? How can we effectively share that information? The Pitt Disinformation Lab’s Lara Putnam joins the League of Women Voters of Westmoreland for a timely conversation about talking across divides and strengthening trust in our elections.
All events are open to the public.
Seating for the event is limited and registration is required. Register by selecting the event in the Event Calendar at www.lwv-westmoreland.org.
WHEN: Thursday, April 4 from 6:30 – 7:30 pm
WHERE: Greensburg Hempfield Area Library, Accessible 2nd floor Conference Room
- 237 South Pennsylvania Ave, Greensburg, PA 15601
- On street parking in Greensburg is free after 5:00 pm. The Buncher parking lot next to the Post Office and near the library is also free in the evening.
Biography of Speaker:
Lara Putnam is Professor of History at the University of Pittsburgh and a lead researcher at the Pitt Disinformation Lab at Pitt Cyber. She researches social movements and political participation in local, national, and transnational dimensions. Since 2017 Putnam has been using ethnographic and oral historical methods to explore shifts in grassroots political organizing in Pennsylvania and beyond. Her research related to digital information flows has had substantial policy impact. Her research on child endangerment online has shaped advocacy and been cited in a lawsuit by state Attorneys General. Putnam’s publications have appeared in both public-facing and scholarly venues, including the 2020 volume, Upending American Politics: Polarizing Parties, Ideological Elites, and Citizen Activists from the Tea Party to the Anti-Trump Resistance, ed. Theda Skocpol and Caroline Tervo (Oxford University Press), as well as The Washington Post, The New Republic, Tech Policy Press, Vox, Wired, and Democracy: A Journal of Ideas.
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The League of Women Voters (LWV) is a non-partisan, grassroots organization that believes people can make profound changes in their communities through informed actions. League members work to provide voter services, educate the public, and advocate for issues that matter. The league is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive environment. Learn more at www.lwv-westmoreland.org.