Keegan Hamilton

Liars beware, I am now Intermediate at Digital Investigation Techniques according to AFP and Google News Initiative. This course focused on tracking election disinformation and verifying climate claims. It was interesting to see how the course's tools could be used to examine past/current elections.

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As we wait to hear who won the election, one thing is already clear: election disinformation has reached alarming levels. In the latest episode of Anti-Defamation League's extremely podcast, two experts in the field of disinformation, Dr. Claire Wardle of Cornell University and Scripps News National Correspondent Elizabeth Landers join extremely hosts Oren Segal and Jessica Reaves to break it down. Among the topics they discuss: ·     How the disinformation onslaught of 2024 differs from disinformation waves of past presidential elections ·     The latest AI tools being used to create fake images, video and audio aimed at swaying voters ·     The liar’s dividend—the phenomenon whereby, because disinformation and misinformation are so widespread and more people are unsure about what is and isn’t true, a liar can simply deny that something is real ·     The role of pre-bunking in reducing the spread of election falsehoods and deterring election denialism ·     What social media platforms should be doing to curb disinformation and why they’ve pulled back from doing so Check out the episode here.

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As a writer who is always trying to become better at writing, I find Layachi's direct and unembellished narrative style inspirational. He recounts his day's activities in a matter-of-fact manner, using simple language and short sentences:

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At CES 2025, panel experts with backgrounds in law, government affairs, public policy and creative representation emphasized AI’s dual role as a powerful tool for enhancing creativity. But they also noted the potential threat to human authorship and consent, particularly in generative AI’s replication of voices and images. Dr. Moiya M., Lisa Oratz, Chad Hummel, Paul Lekas and Duncan Crabtree-Ireland all contributed important points on the importance of this topic.

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NEW from U.S. News & World Report Ideas & Opinions~ Democracy Dies Without Local Newspapers Beware of misinformation and deepfakes trying to sway your vote, writes Josh Stearns of Democracy Fund #USNews #opinion #pressfreedom #localnews

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Coming in Sunday's Spokesman-Review... A 24-page special section containing 21 of my Further Review pages about elections, the history of elections, how the three branches of U.S. government work -- or, in some cases, how they DON'T work. And two pages promoting my book. Unless I'm mistaken, this will be the first mention in the paper of my upcoming Further Review hardcover book. I'm writing a sales pitch, how I converted newspaper pages into book pages and how to order. That will be on pages 2 and 3. But pages 4 through 24 will be an enormous, graphics-laden civics lesson! A few of the topics we'll be covering... > A history of broken campaign promises > Presidential approval ratings going back to WW2 > A history of -- and a look inside -- the White House > How the Electoral College works > The nature of complaints about the 2020 election results > The closest elections in U.S. history > What to expect on election night 2024 > The Presidential veto > America's spending habit > A history of Presidential health issues > The eight Presidents who died in office > The history of the Capitol > How the House is apportioned > Which party has been in control of the House and the Senate since 1900 > How much actual legislative work Congress has done > The Senate Filibuster -- how it works and how often it's been used > Voter turnout in the U.S. > Who appointed our Supreme Court justices > Why "Court Packing" didn't work for FDR in 1938 > The nature of Fake News All these pages have run in the Spokesman-Review over the past 5.5 years. Some required very little tweaking to bring them up to date. Others had to be rebuilt from scratch. If you're wondering how and why I've injured my wrist lately... well, this is a big reason. But, y'know, I think it's worth it. I'm awfully proud of the book. But this section, I feel, contains some of the very best work of my career. At some point, I'm told, the folks in Spokane will allow you to order two or three copies of this section. I'll post instructions when I get them. Man! This has been a BUSY fall!

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You're probably already taking in a lot of information on how to cover this year's elections. These guides are aimed at helping you talk through that information with your news organization, and strategize or decide on how you'll navigate different scenarios long before they arise and leave you thinking, "I wish we'd talked about how we'd actually handle this." Our first two guides help you consider your coverage of misinformation and polling, and we've got more in the works! Let us know if there are other topics you'd like to see addressed.

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From Ludwig Oscuro Federigan, EMDRCM, CBP" "Since Trump's departure from office in 2021, the global climate narrative has undergone significant transformation. World leaders and organizations have increasingly acknowledged the urgent need for climate action, spurred by alarming scientific reports detailing the rising impacts of climate change, including extreme weather events, heat waves, rising sea levels and biodiversity loss. The catastrophic consequences of inaction have often eclipsed political uncertainties, motivating nations, cities and businesses to enhance their commitments to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and investing in RE." #donaldtrump #climatechange #renewableenergy #renewable https://lnkd.in/gT7yEgwh

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Part 2 of my podcast on the California Appellate Law Podcast, with Tim Kowal and Jeff Lewis, is out. We discuss the unconstitutionality of the statute that prevents courts from electronically recording court hearings even when the court does not provide a court reporter and the parties cannot afford to hire their own. This is the appellate access to justice issue of our day. Listen to the episode here: https://bit.ly/3CfZud0 #CourtReporterCrisis

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Two weeks ago, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ruled against the Fearless Fund’s Fearless Strivers Grant Contest. Their ruling found that this contest is “substantially likely to violate” the provisions of Title 42 of the US Code, which prohibits race from being a factor when awarding and enforcing contracts. According to CNN: "The appellate court ordered a federal court in Georgia to enter a preliminary injunction blocking the fund from closing its grant application process while the case continues to be litigated . . . The court’s decision marks a victory for anti-affirmative action legal strategist Edward Blum, who filed a lawsuit last August against the fund on behalf of his group American Alliance for Equal Rights." Shortly after the ruling, Fearless Fund CEO Arian Simone called the court's actions devastating: "I am shattered for every girl of color who has a dream but will grow up in a nation determined not to give her a shot to live it," said Simone. "On their behalf, we will turn the pain into purpose and fight with all our might. America is supposed to be a nation where one has the freedom to achieve, the freedom to earn, and the freedom to prosper. Yet, when we have attempted to level the playing field for underrepresented groups, our freedoms were stifled." While we don't yet know what Simone's next move will be to create a more equitable funding landscape for founders from marginalized communities, we do know that she doesn't quickly back down from a fight. Understand more about the passion, energy and long-term vision that she brings to her mission by listening to the audio recording of her presentation from SXSW 2024 via the link below; https://lnkd.in/gkgBPncg What does the ruling against the Fearless Fund mean for the future for startups led by women and people of color? How can non-traditional founders get a larger slice of the venture capital dollars if not for these kinds of programs? If you have forward-thinking ideas creating a better ecosystem for entrepreneurs of all backgrounds, then you should enter a speaking proposal for SXSW 2025. The speaking proposal process opens on Tuesday, June 25 via the PanelPicker interface. Speaking proposals are accepted through the end of the day on Sunday, July 21. https://lnkd.in/eSXnqtA #funding, #venturecapital, Arian Simone, Fearless Fund, #sxsw, #sxsw2024, #sxsw2025, #DEI, #founders, #founderstories, #entrepreneur, #VC, #panelpicker, #inclusion, #leveltheplayingfield, #diversity, #equity

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Every revolution ensues some anarchy, and that anarchy encompasses multiple fronts: social, political, and economic. After french revulsion in 1793, The dismantling of the traditional social order led to widespread upheaval. Nobility, who had been oppressing common French people for centuries, was targeted, and property was redistributed. The French Revolution disrupted economic stability, leading to shortages, inflation, and widespread poverty. These combined factors created a period of significant disorder and fear. In Somalia, after the fall of Siad Barre's regime, no central government controlled the country, leading to clan warfare and lawlessness. Following the Bolshevik Revolution, Russia descended into chaos with multiple factions fighting for control, leading to widespread social upheaval. With the July Revolution in Bangladesh, after the fall of Sheikh Hasina's brutal regime of 15 years, we too are witnessing some anarchy. My heart aches for the vandalism of some Hindu temples, lynching of some constables who shot bullets at unarmed protesters at point-blank range under duress of top bosses, and beating of many AL supporters. I was especially devastated by the burning of Bangabandhu’s house at 32 Dhanmondi. In some areas, BNP men, who virtually couldn’t sleep at their houses most of the time fearing police arrest, abduction, or brutal killing through crossfire in past one and half decades, have taken control of markets, footpaths, or slums. There has also been an advent of bandit groups who are carrying out dacoities, leading to sleepless nights for many city dwellers. If you think that everything will turn orderly overnight after the end of such a brutal regime, you live in a fool's paradise. The AL government, in 3+ consecutive terms, has destroyed the integrity of all institutions, let their supporting oligarchs capture all financial institutions, politicized all government forces, and made the police a force that committed the most despicable human rights violations in history. Now, the strong facades of these vulnerable institutions have collapsed after the revolution. There are no police in the streets, no force to control traffic in the densely populated country. But despite that, people from all spectrums of Bangladesh are showing remarkable restraint. The army has laid out a plan for democratic transition. Wide-spread anarchy has stopped in just 48 hours. An interim government will be formed today. The citizens must allow some time for the interim government to repair the deeply damaged country. Expecting an overnight solution is just immature thinking. But, I welcome all sorts of criticism from the people because, finally, we live in a country where we can express our thoughts freely. We must not let anybody gag our voice ever again.

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As we gear up for the upcoming election, it’s clear that the stakes have never been higher. This election isn’t just about the cost of living, migration, or the economy—it’s fundamentally a gender election. The dynamics at play run deeper than the fact that Donald Trump is a man and Kamala Harris is a woman; they reveal a troubling undercurrent. In recent days, Trump has sharpened his focus on the male vote, banking on his considerable advantage among men, including Latino and Black voters. But his strategy comes with a dark twist. By making derogatory comments about women—asserting he would "protect women whether they like it or not" and launching violent attacks on Liz Cheney, calling her a "war hawk" deserving of being "fired upon"—he's walking a perilous line. Will this approach rally support from men, or will it drive even more women away? The answer remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: it’s a gamble that could have devastating consequences. Let’s not forget that Trump previously won the hearts of white suburban women, a crucial demographic that now feels betrayed by the Supreme Court’s decision overturning nationwide protections for reproductive rights. Despite his attempts to distance himself from this ruling, most Americans know it was made possible by the judges he appointed. I have been traveling the country to witness firsthand the heartbreaking impact of restrictive rights on women and healthcare providers, this is my latest report:

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I recently watched Lex Fridman’s interview with Zelenskyy, and it made me reflect on a broader trend: the proliferation of low quality content that distorts public discourse and undermines informed journalism. Podcasts today have unparalleled reach, but many of the most popular hosts like Friedman or Rogan approach complex topics with startling naivety and little preparation. This isn’t new - it’s a recurring effect of democratizing a medium. When the printing press was invented, the most viral book wasn’t a work of enlightenment but Malleus Maleficarum, a witch-hunting guide that fueled mass hysteria and reignited tortures of women. Similarly, today we see opportunistic podcasters who are “accessible” and “engaging” but lack the rigor to handle the weight of the platforms they’ve built. What happens when Putin is interviewed by a Lex Fridman who’s ill-equipped to challenge his narrative? The result is a propaganda puff piece disguised as intellectual inquiry. This level of unpreparedness in dominating such massive audiences does no good for humanity and truth.

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WSJ's Damian Paletta interviewed outgoing FTC Chair Lina Khan. In the context of regulating AI, she said that in moments of technology inflection, enforcers have to be especially vigilant. Entrenched giants that fear displacement might resort to illegal monopolies or illegal mergers. Watch here: https://lnkd.in/e8d7RTC6

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Reposting Justin Arenstein's wise post and my comment to it: Justin, You are as ever, so right. Researching my books (The Gutenberg Parenthesis, Magazine, and, upcoming, The Web We Weave) I came to see that whenever there is an explosion of greater speech (print, the mechanization and industrialization of print, broadcast, the net) the first reflex is to panic and control, foolishly attempting to kill and prevent bad speech. The far better idea is to find and support good speech, as you say. That was the foundation of publishing and editing and the basis of the invention of the genre of the magazine. Yes, there is more chaff today. But that means there is also more wheat. The challenge and opportunity is to find it. I also agree with you about focusing on actors and behaviors over content. Finally, I get in trouble for saying this, but I am no fan of media- or news-literacy campaigns, for they are media-centric and self-serving, not public-centric, and besides, if the news needs a users' manual, perhaps we're doing it wrong. -jeff

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What’s the one communication element that both U.S. Presidential candidates have both either missed or written-off. It is a simple tactic drawn from the Principles of Persuasion; namely, 👉Credibility 👉Common Ground 👉Evidence 👉Emotion. Can you guess which one has been most lacking in the 2024 Presidential campaign ? #trump #kamalaharris #mediatraining #strategicommunications #messaging #prtips #persuasion #undecideds https://lnkd.in/g67EbQ9a

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For more than a month, a team of some 270 firefighters has been battling a wall of flames consuming two Indigenous territories on the edge of Brazil's Amazon rainforest. Though the firefighters are Brazilian, their Brasilia headquarters and much of their equipment was paid for by international donors aiming to protect the Amazon, one of the world's key bulwarks against climate change. The money is channelled through the Amazon Fund, an international mechanism to direct aid to projects that halt and reverse deforestation, backed mainly by European donors, including Norway and Germany.  But last year, U.S. President Joe Biden pledged to request Congress to contribute $500 million to the Amazon Fund over five years. That amount is equivalent to nearly 70% of all the funding the fund has received since its creation in 2008. The fate of Amazon Fund projects now hinges in part on the U.S. elections more than 3,000 miles (4,800 km) away. Anastasia Moloney and andré cabette fábio have the story for Context Newsroom https://lnkd.in/ecytuX3t

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