YPIN Global Café: Can Foreign Powers Win Our Election?

The 2020 U.S. General Election is quickly approaching (don’t forget to VOTE EARLY!), and concerns for election security are front and center. Alarms have been raised as China, Iran, and Russia increase their influence over U.S. politics through social media strongholds, fake accounts, and malicious cyberattacks. Yet even as foreign threats seek to undermine U.S. democratic institutions and divide the country, many are buried in the flood of chaotic headlines.

Global Café is a YPIN discussion series where participants get together to examine and analyze some of the most impactful topics in Global Affairs today. In this Global Café, we will discuss the role of international interference in U.S. elections, who should be concerned and why, and how we should respond. This is an informal conversation; all respectful opinions and thoughts are welcome, and brief reference materials are provided below. 

This is a free, virtual program open to the public. The link and instructions on how to join will be sent to registrants in advance of the event. Please be sure to provide a valid email address with your registration.

RESOURCES:

Required article: US election 2020: China, Russia and Iran 'trying to influence' vote (source: BBC, 5 minute read)

Optional but encouraged reading and listening for podcast fans (choose one!): 

How we define foreign election interference: What is foreign interference, anyways? (source: NPR, 22 minute listen)  

From the Kremlin Playbook, Russia’s past with foreign interference: How Russia does it (source: CSIS, 14 minute listen)

China’s Role: Trump security adviser says China has biggest election-interference program (source: Reuters, 3 minute read)