Decision 2020: Technical Threats Loom

The coronavirus pandemic has forced many changes in the presidential election this year, and experts are concerned about growing tech threats to our democracy. NBC's Liz McLaughlin reports.

(NBC News) — The coronavirus pandemic has forced many changes in the presidential election this year, and experts are concerned about growing tech threats to our democracy.

Candidates are pouring money into ways to reach voters online and through social media.

That’s putting even more pressure on social media companies who are attempting to clamp down on potentially problematic content. Most social networks are beefing up restrictions to political ads and posts, sometimes adding a warning to content that may be false, or taking it down altogether even if it’s from public officials, including the president.

That’s also prompted criticism that tech companies are playing favorites.

Hacking is another concern, heightened after high-profile Twitter accounts including Joe Biden’s were hacked last month.

“What if media accounts were taken over and the vote totals were manipulated, or put out in a synchronized way that confused the pubic? It could create mass chaos,” warns national security analyst Cling Watts.

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