Bots, Cyberwarfare, and the Future of Democratic Systems

As part of our Let’s Talk Democracy series with Alexander Görlach, journalist and adjunct professor for democratic theory at NYU Gallatin School, we welcome historian Thomas Weber for a conversation on the forces shaping democracy in times of crisis. Drawing on his research into the “world wars of disinformation and demagoguery” past and present, we will explore the parallels between the drivers of democratic breakdown in the interwar years and the pressures democracies face today. The discussion will look at how new technologies, social media bots, and cyberwarfare influence public perception, political stability, and democratic resilience.