Today on the Prospect Weekly Roundup, Gabrielle Gurley and David Dayen talk about the potential impact of disinformation on this November’s election. Most voters are not familiar with how disinformation is spread, and absent federal regulation, AI-powered disinformation could deal an enormous blow to our democracy this November. Earlier this month, the European Union passed the world’s first set of regulations on artificial intelligence, setting a transformative precedent in a year where dozens of countries around the globe are holding elections. It’s time for the U.S. to follow suit.
They also discuss the Maryland Senate race, which is shaping up to be unusually competitive for a blue state. Former GOP governor Larry Hogan remains popular and has won two statewide elections, but may face a backlash for his conservative record on abortion. He also faces considerable opposition for his decision in office to prevent the construction of a light-rail system in Baltimore, and voters in the city and across the state haven’t forgotten.
In the second half of the program, Luke Goldstein came on the show to shed light on the Democratic primary in Maryland. In an effort to distinguish himself from his opponent, former prosecutor and current Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, Rep. David Trone—a self-funding billionaire and founder of the Total Wine and More liquor store chain, is casting himself as a victim of the criminal justice system—although his run-ins with the law were for business violations.
This has been an incredible week for antitrust, with lawsuits against Amazon, Google, and Meta, and more in the works. The resurgence of anti-monopoly policy can only be beneficial for American workers and consumers alike. Luke and David discuss the Justice Department’s case against Apple filed this week for monopolizing the smartphone market, and what that means for the industry and tech oversight.
As we head into a contentious election year, we’ll be livestreaming every Friday at 12:30 p.m. ET to give you the information you need to understand the week in news. Join us next week by subscribing to our YouTube channel today!
