Press Release: CDT Original Research on Online Abuse of Women of Color Political Candidates Wins Silver Anthem Award

(WASHINGTON, DC) — Today, a 2022 Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) original research project, “An Unrepresentative Democracy: How Disinformation and Online Abuse Hinder Women of Color Political Candidates in the United States,” was selected by the 3rd Annual Anthem Awards as a Silver Winner in the “Human & Civil Rights — Best Use of Data” Category.

The report, authored by CDT’s Dr. Dhanaraj Thakur and DeVan Hankerson Madrigal, showed that women of color candidates in the 2020 U.S. general elections encountered mis- and disinformation and the worst kinds of online harassment at higher rates than other candidates. The study was one of the first of its kind to quantify the problem of mis- and disinformation and abuse of women of color candidates who ran in 2020, and built on the work of researchers — particularly those from communities of color — who have pointed to this problem for some time. The project also included recommendations for social media platforms, researchers, other political candidates (particularly women of color), and their parties on how to address the problem in future campaigns.