BOISE, Idaho — This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
A new website portal launched by the state will allow Idahoans to report election-based misinformation found on social media.
The initiative encourages voters to be aware of election misinformation and to report anything on social media that appears inaccurate or misleading, according to a news release from the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office.
Examples of possible misinformation includes dates of the election, mail ballot rules, ballot information, polling place hours, election night reporting, voting technology and poll watchers.
“Idahoans are paying close attention to the November 8 General Election, but so are those seeking to interfere with our elections by spreading misinformation,” Secretary of State Lawerence Denney said in a statement. “With this new web service, Idaho voters can report social media posts that appear to be misleading, either accidentally or by intent.”
Denney added that once the information is reported, the department’s cyber security team will evaluate it.
“If it is determined that the social media post is trying to disenfranchise voters and undermine our democracy, the report will be passed to the Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center, who will verify the information and forward it to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for further action,” Denney said.
Intelligence officials are unanimous in warnings of foreign and domestic actors spreading misinformation ahead of the election, according to the news release.
The Secretary of State’s Office hopes the new web service will provide Idaho voters with a single, nonpartisan location to report social media posts that “seek to destroy the integrity of Idaho elections.”
Visit the website atsos.idaho.gov/elections-division/election-misinformation-reporting/
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.
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