IDEA Research Seminar - Online Political Advertising and The Democratic Process

Joe Saunders will be presenting for approximately half an hour, which will be followed by an informal discussion. All are welcome and there is no need to book.

Abstract 
I have my suspicions about online political advertising. In this talk, I hope to uncover what exactly is unsettling about them. The basic worry is that they might undermine the democratic process in some way. Dark advertisements for instance, are just that, advertisements kept in the dark – they are targeted advertisements that reach their specific audience, but are not available to the public more broadly. This seems to circumvent the public discussion and scrutiny that a healthy democracy requires. Come along and help me pin down exactly what – if anything – is going wrong!