When Presidential candidate Donald Trump said “they’re eating the dogs” on a national debate stage last week, my friends were so baffled at the absurdity of the falsehood that our initial reaction was simply to laugh. However, I found it far less amusing after spending more time on X and TikTok, where I was watching online post-debate discourse, and I learned that these outlandish claims were taken to heart by many. While gross falsehoods like these often feel far removed from the Orange Bubble, Princetonians cannot neglect the very tangible impact of disinformation on this election cycle.
There has been a renaissance of political activity at Princeton in recent months: Students, faculty, and alumni are engaged in and excited about geopolitical and national political discourse. Speaking out for what you believe in and casting your ballot, imperative parts of democratic involvement, are sufficiently discussed, but the Princeton community disregards our responsibility to fight mis/disinformation. As the election approaches, we must each do more.
Misinformation and disinformation campaigns have always been a part of political discourse, and as technology evolves and our world becomes more interconnected, the threat of misinformation is growing. We live in an information environment more contaminated by fake news than any previous generation — it is many times more likely to be reshared on social media than factual information.
From individual accounts to cable news networks, it has become common practice to present known falsehoods as fact to spread political disinformation. AI-generated images, bot accounts, and the rapid circulation of false claims in algorithmic echo chambers are all elements of contemporary social media that can extrapolate the impact of misinformation on the American electorate — and digital natives are going to the polls more than ever this fall. However, as Gen Zers, we are uniquely equipped to combat digital misinformation campaigns. We can identify bot accounts and AI-generated content with more ease than older generations.
Princeton urges us to go forth and serve the nation, which includes fighting for and upholding our democracy. The intentional spread of misinformation by political figures directly undermines the democratic process, and we all have the opportunity to help fight it. Reporting and blocking accounts that post intentionally misleading information or disinformation, or having difficult conversations with friends, peers, and family members helps fight misinformation and strengthen our democracy.
We have the responsibility to do more than ignore absurd disinformation campaigns, and arrive at the ballot box informed. We need to engage with and combat falsehoods or stereotypes, even though it is scary and uncomfortable. Taking the time to report an account, explain why a stereotype is untrue, or to find and share an article that could expand someone’s point of view is an often overlooked part of our democratic responsibility.
In addition to the element of personal responsibility, Princeton’s diverse and active political action groups bear the burden of this element of democratic participation. Princeton College Democrats and Republicans, The Princeton Progressive and Tory, Sunrise Princeton, Princeton Students for Justice in Palestine, and Vote100 all seek to foster change and make a difference in campus and national politics, but none have had a concerted effort to combat online mis/disinformation. Groups that want to impact American discourse share the democratic responsibility to work against the mis/disinformation plaguing our politics — because engaging with active and informed voters is just the beginning.
Misinformation spreads like wildfire on the internet, but it often starts with well meaning individuals who believe something that they are told without thinking critically. Everyone is susceptible to misinformation, but the privilege of exposure, education, and the practice with difficult conversations that we have as Princetonians can make a difference. In contemporary American politics, our democratic duty goes beyond voting or protest — we can and must combat the intentional spread of political misinformation.
Ava Johnson is a sophomore Opinion columnist and prospective Politics major from Washington, D.C. She can be reached by email at aj9432@princeton.edu. Johnson's column, The New Nassau, runs every three weeks on Sundays. All of Johnson's columns can be found here.
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