Media Narratives and the Second-Order Effects of Digital Election Interference
- Date
- 17 September 2026, 13:15–14:00
- Location
- Ångström Laboratory, room 106130 (building 10, floor 6)
- Type
- Seminar
- Lecturer
- Emelie Karlsson
- Web page
- https://www.uu.se/en/department/information-technology/research/cybersecurity/cyberrisklab
- Organiser
- Department of Information Technology
- Contact person
- Anke Stüber
- Language
- English
Amid widespread public concern about the risks of digital election interference, a parallel concern has emerged: Could fear of interference itself undermine democratic attitudes? The question of whether the public debate surrounding digital election interference events could yield second-order effects on voters' democratic attitudes is the central question of the doctoral thesis of Emelie Karlsson, PhD student at the Department of Government at Uppsala University.
In this presentation, Emelie Karlsson will present findings from her doctoral thesis, in which she argues that the democratic implications of digital election interference go beyond the direct, first-order manipulation by interference actors. They are also shaped by how agenda-setting actors, such as the news media, frame and communicate such events, which can influence how voters relate to and perceive the health and functioning of democracy, even in the absence of proven or effective interference—something she terms the second-order effect of digital election interference.
Open for all, no registration needed. Bring a friend!