Nevada Attorney General Aaron D. Ford is honored to be appointed to a six month commission by the Aspen Institute to deliver recommendations for how the country can respond to the modern-day crisis of faith in key institutions.
AG Ford will be joined in this effort by 14 other commissioners from across the political spectrum.
Developed and hosted by the Aspen Digital program, the “Commission on Information Disorder” will be co-chaired by three leading public figures, each with unique perspectives on society’s urgent mis and disinformation challenge, including renowned journalist Katie Couric; cybersecurity expert Chris Krebs, the founding director of DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, racial equity leader Rashad Robinson, the president of Color Of Change, and Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex.
Through its work, the Commission will wrestle with the impact and problem of mis and disinformation across all aspects of modern society, from the 2020 election and vaccine safety, to the ongoing risk to communities of color, to threats from state and non-state actors.
The effort grew out of a need identified by the Aspen Cybersecurity Group, the institute’s public-private forum on technology threats.
Beginning in April, the Commission will meet regularly over the next six months. It will also host a series of briefings from a range of experts to understand the scope of the problem and identify the gaps that exist in the ability of government, the technological platforms, and civil society to address what First Draft Co-Founder Claire Wardle has termed “information disorder.”
These briefings will cover the history, rise, and current threat of disinformation; the intersection of disinformation and marginalized communities; the challenge of civic education and literacy; the societal decline of trust in institutions; the First Amendment and the effects of Section 230; and the growing challenge of mis- and disinformation campaigns against private industry and companies; among other core topics.
These expert briefings will be recorded and made available to the public through the Commission website, along with the reading materials provided to commissioners.
Additionally, the Commission will establish a Technology Advisory Committee to provide expert advice and consultation to members over the course of their deliberations.
To learn more about the Aspen Institute or the commission, click here.
