With the rise of a controversial political figure like Donald Trump, it’s become impossible to ignore how fractured America has become. Former U.S. government official Yaël Eisenstat—once a member of the CIA and an Advisor to Vice President Joe Biden— could no longer sit by and witness the erosion of civil discourse she saw happening throughout the country. So, she took a job as the Global Head of Elections Integrity Operations at Facebook, spending an eye-opening six months inside a company that she felt contributed directly to democracy’s “biggest existential threat.”

“Free political speech is core to our democratic principles, and it’s true that social media companies should not be the arbiters of truth,” Eisenstat says. “But the only way Facebook can prevent abuse of its platform to harm our electoral process is to end its most egregious targeting and amplification practices and provide real transparency.”
 
Now a Visiting Fellow at Cornell Tech’s Digital Life Initiative, Eisenstat uses her unique experience in government and tech to explore technology’s effect on our political systems. In her talks, she eloquently explains everything from information warfare to national security, offering a nuanced and ethical understanding of the future ahead.