TODD: OHIO’S SECRETARY OF STATE
REITERATED HIS VIEW TODAY, THAT
VOTING SYSTEMS IN THE BUCKEYE
STATE ARE IN GOOD SHAPE.
BUT ONE EXPERT SAYS A KEY
VULNERABILITY REMAINS.
IT INVOLVES SOCIAL MEDIA SITES
LIKE THESE, AND IT INVOLVES YOU.
THANKS TO FEDERAL MONEY, OHIO
ELECTIONS OFFICIALS ARE SPENDING
MORE THAN $12 MILLION TO MAKE
VOTING SYSTEMS STATEWIDE AS
SECURE AS POSSIBLE.
THAT’S A MOVE IN THE RIGH
DIRECTION, SAYS CYBERSECURITY
EXPERT RICHARD HARKNETT WHO’S
LESS CONCERNED WITH HACKABLE
POLLING PLACES THAN HE IS WITH
THE HUMAN FACTOR.
>> WE CAN HARDEN THE TECHNOLOGY,
RIGHT?
WE CAN HARDEN THE PROCESSES BY
WHICH WE INTERACT WITH THE
TECHNOLOGY.
BUT IN A WAY WE HAVE TO HARDEN
OURSELVES, RIGHT?
AND THE WAY WE DO THAT, WHAT I
MEAN BY THAT IS WE HAVE TO
BECOME MORE CRITICAL THINKER
TODD: DESPITE HAVING THE ABILITY
TO VERIFY OUTLANDISH POLITICAL
CLAIMS BY CHECKING MULTIPLE NEWS
SITES, HARKNETT WORRIES PEOPLE
ARE JUST RELYING ON SOCIAL MEDIA
STORIES THEIR FRIENDS LIKE LIKES
THAT SEEM TO VALIDATE WHATEVER
CLAIM THE STORY MAKES.
>> WHAT’S HAPPENED IS WE HAVE
THIS SITUATION IN WHICH ALTHOUGH
I HAVE MORE ACCESS TO MORE
INFORMATION THAN ANY OTHER HUMAN
BEING IN HISTORY, I’M GOING TO
ECHO CHAMBERS.
I’M GOING AND GETTING MY
INFORMATION FROM PLACES THAT I
THINK I AGREE WITH
TODD: THAT KIND OF BEHAVIOR HAS
HARKNETT PLEADING WITH VOTERS TO
BECOME MORE RESILIENT AND LESS
VULNERABLE TO MANIPULATION
>> I’M WORRIED ABOUT TRIBALISM,
RIGHT?
THAT DEMOCRACY’S NOT UNDERMINED
BY BIG BROTHER, BUT IT’S
ACTUALLY UNDERMINED BY THE FACT
THAT WE GO INTO TRIBES THAT
DON’T WORK TOGETHER.
TODD: AS A POLITICAL SCIENCE
PROFESSOR AT U.C., HARKNETT IS
STUDYING A CONCEPT CALLED
PARTICIPATORY PROPAGANDA
THAT’S WHEN, FOR EXAMPLE,
SOMEONE TRIES TO MANIPULATE A
VOTER’S BEHAVIOR BY GETTING
PEOPLE TO LIKE POLITICAL STORIES
THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE TRUE.
HE SAYS IF YOUR
