At the Office of Civic Life’s Democracy Summit Wednesday, author Barbara McQuade addressed the growing threat of misinformation and its impacts on society. McQuade was the keynote speaker for the event at the Spurlock Museum. She spoke to the audience about current democratic issues in our country and the exacerbating effects of disinformation.
In McQuade’s recent book titled “Attack From Within,” she identifies how misinformation spreads. The Office of Civic Life invited her to speak at the summit, which is designed to educate citizens about their responsibilities and influence on our democratic system.
“I love engaging with students,” McQuade said. “Many people, especially young people, care deeply about democracy and are concerned about what is going on in America.”
McQuade regularly provides legal commentary for MSNBC on issues such as corruption, constitutional theory and ethics. In 2010, former President Barack Obama appointed McQuade to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, becoming the first woman to hold this role.
During her seven years in office, McQuade oversaw high-profile cases involving public corruption, corporate fraud and terrorism. She is now a professor at the University of Michigan Law School and released her first book in 2024.
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“Attack From Within” highlights the increased use of misinformation, disinformation and propaganda as destructive forces in the United States. McQuade attributes the decline in public trust and election result denial to broad misinformation schemes and tactics.
According to McQuade, these threats “don’t just distort the truth, but weaken the very foundations of democracy.”
McQuade also cites disinformation as a leading cause of political polarization. She theorizes that social media further contributes to this cycle through “algorithmic echo chambers,” which she spent much of the presentation addressing.
“These platforms have almost no regulations,” McQuade said. “You could post complete lies, and it could take days for them to be taken down. But by that point, the seed and the lie have already been planted in the minds of millions of users.”
Political polarization has increased over the last two decades. Beyond identifying the problem, McQuade emphasized potential solutions.
Encouraging open dialogue, McQuade said, is one of the most effective ways to combat polarization and build democratic resilience. Studies show that engaging in debates and discussions with people who have different views is an effective way to alleviate this polarization.
“Each party does a wonderful job of displaying an ‘us versus them’ mentality,” McQuade said. “We as voters need to avoid this framing of red versus blue and start actually talking to each other.”
Hadasha De Leon, freshman in FAA, said they try to live by this approach.
“(McQuade) is a very inspiring individual,” De Leon said. “I wanted to be proactive and hear what she had to say about the times we are living in and become more well-versed in the topic.”
Despite De Leon’s enthusiasm, many young adults remain disengaged from conversations about misinformation and democracy.
Experts say that reasons may include a lack of exposure to civic education or the perception that politics are distant from their everyday lives. The Office of Civic Life hosts events like the summit to advance its overall mission of cultivating “community partnerships that are designed to give students multiple entries to explore pathways to community involvement, global awareness, and civic responsibility.”
Even though the event took place on campus, the audience consisted of a mix of community members and adults. Community member Roma Chenoweth expressed sadness about the low turnout among the younger generation.
“This is such an enriching environment,” Chenoweth said. “It disturbs me that there is low turnout among students because I think they only get their news from one source and could learn from this event.”
McQuade concluded her interview by addressing the issue of engaging young people.
“Young people are our future,” McQuade said. “And yet, the percentage of young people who vote is the smallest demographic turnout we have among the electorate.”
The Office of Civic Life encourages all students to register to vote, volunteer and open up conversations with those who hold different views than their own.
“When you work together as a collective, big things can get done,” McQuade said. “I would encourage every student who is eligible, get out and vote.”
