As the U.S. approaches election season, Facebook is working to crack down on the spread of misinformation and to provide Americans with accurate information regarding the voting process.
The social media giant has launched the Voting Information Center, a "one-stop-shop" for everything voting-related, according to Emily Dalton, director of social impact product at Facebook.
"Starting today, everybody across the country will be able to go there to connect with authoritative information on topics like how to register to vote, how to vote by mail if that's available to them, and get local election alerts from election officials in the area," she explained.
Facebook launched the Voting Information Center, according to Dalton, after a successful run of its COVID-19 information center that reached "two billion people across the world."
"We'll be running campaigns that expect to reach 160 million people with this information. Our goal is to help four million people register and turn out to vote this year," Dalton explained.
While mail-in voting could potentially delay final election results, the company has already designated a section of the center to act as a hub for updates.
"We'll be featuring election results in the voting information center and keeping people updated with that information in the days following the election," Dalton said.
In the ongoing battle to fight misinformation on the social platform, according to Dalton, Facebook wants to provide a path for its users to find the truth.
"No matter what people are talking about, we want to make sure that they and their communities have the ability to get that clear authoritative information easily," she said.
The average city in California has a 38% higher cost of living than the average American city, according to a cost of living index. For many, the general minimum wage of $15/hour just doesn't cut it. Anti-poverty activist Joe Sanberg wants to get the minimum wage changed to $18/hour. He joins Cheddar News to discuss the Living Wage Act of 2022.
Liana Guzmán, CEO of FOLX Health, joins Cheddar News to discuss the company launching billboards across the country in response to anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.
President Biden has announced an additional $800 million in military assistance to Ukraine, including artillery, armored personnel carriers, and helicopters. It comes as Russian forces appear to be preparing for a new, aggressive offensive in the eastern part of Ukraine. Paul McLeary, defense reporter for Politico, joined Cheddar to discuss this new round of aid and what it means for the U.S. commitment to arming the embattled country.
Catching you up on what you need to know on April 18, 2022, with Russian missile attacks on the Ukrainian city of Lviv killing seven, mass shootings in South Carolina and Pittsburgh, Lucky Charms cereal under official investigation by the FDA, and more.
Activism is growing around the country in response to school boards banning books from shelves that focus on sexuality, gender, identity, or race. Jen Cousins, co-founder of The Florida Freedom to Read Project, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine intensifies, President Biden has announced a ban on importing Russian oil, gas, and energy. To discuss how this ban will impact the war and Americans, Amir Handjani, non-resident fellow at Quincy Institute, joins Cheddar News.
Thousands of protesters around the world are expressing their solidarity with Ukraine against Russia's invasion.
Jason Beardsley, national executive director of the Association of the U.S. Navy and national security expert, joins Cheddar News to discuss.
As gas prices surge amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, other nations could potentially transition faster to using clean energy than previously expected. Philip K. Verleger, a senior fellow at the Niskanen Center, joined Cheddar News to explain how this could be a possibility in the near future. "Part of the reason I think we have this invasion and the tantrum that's being thrown by Russia, terrible tantrum, is because the Russians were trying to slow down the transition," he said. "Ironically they speeded it up."