Consider This from NPR

This Tool Was Supposed To Detect Election Hacking. Now It's A Misinformation Target

Sep 2, 2022

Miles Parks, an NPR journalist specializing in voting and election security, dives into the controversial topic of Albert sensors, designed to prevent election hacking. After the 2016 elections, these tools were embraced, but rising political distrust has led some to question their efficacy and necessity. Parks discusses how misinformation has fueled skepticism, particularly among conservatives in Washington State. The conversation sheds light on the broader implications of eroding trust in election security measures and their impact on democracy.

10:55

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Miles Parks

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

Growing Distrust in Election Security Tools

2min

Debating the Necessity of Election Cybersecurity Tools

5min

The Impact of Misinformation on Election Integrity

3min

After the 2016 election – and Russian hacking attempts targeted at local election offices – hundreds of local governments across the country made changes.

Among them, installing something called an Albert sensor. It's designed to warn of hacking attempts.

But in Washington State, this cybersecurity tool has become the subject of suspicion on the political right. It's part of a trend that one voting expert described as "using the language of election integrity to dismantle the infrastructure of election integrity."

The Northwest News Network's Austin Jenkins and NPR's Miles Parks explain what's happening.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.

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