The Google-supported initiative, on its fourth stop, will feature local influencers and thought leaders from around the state. The initiative will have visited all 50 states before Election Day 2020, offering invaluable resources to campaigns, election workers, elected officials, and concerned citizens to reinforce election cybersecurity measures.
PRESS RELEASE – February 19, 2020
Contact: Adam Clayton Powell III at acpowell@usc.edu; or Justin Griffin at justing7@usc.edu or (603) 218-9973; or Emily Gersema at gersema@usc.edu or (213) 740-2215; or Ted Kissell at tkissell@usc.edu or (714) 316-8808
LEXINGTON, Ky.—On Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020, the University of Southern California will bring its 50-state election cybersecurity initiative to the University of Kentucky and feature insights from thought leaders on the evolving challenges and best practices related to election cybersecurity.
Kentucky is the fourth stop for the USC Election Cybersecurity Initiative, which launched three weeks ago in Columbia, Md. It drew federal, state and local officials, as well as experts on cybersecurity and national media. The initiative’s second stop convened over 100 people at the Ohio Statehouse and featured Secretary of State Frank LaRose who is widely considered one of the nation’s top voices on the subject of election cybersecurity.
Wednesday’s discussions in Lexington will cover cyber safety, disinformation and misinformation and crisis communication. The event will be held in in the Woodford Reserve Room at University of Kentucky’s Kroger Field and is open to the public and to media. Doors open at 8:30 a.m. Register here: https://linktr.ee/usctruevote
“We are going to all 50 states to make sure information is obtainable by everyone, but especially those in campaigns and elections. We like to say our candidate is democracy,” said Adam Clayton Powell III, executive director of the project.
Google provided support that ensures the initiative covers all the states.
“In advance of the 2020 election, we are committed to enhancing election security for voters, campaigns and journalists alike,” said Kristie Canegallo, vice president of Google’s Trust and Safety team. “We’re proud to support USC’s Election Security and Information Project to provide comprehensive training to candidates, campaigns, academics, elected officials, and NGOs to help them prepare for security challenges before the 2020 election.”
The nonpartisan initiative is led by the USC Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership & Policy, which draws on expertise from the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences; USC Gould School of Law; USC Marshall School of Business; USC Price School of Public Policy; USC Viterbi School of Engineering and USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. The effort also is supported by USC political experts—some of whom have run presidential campaigns.
“We’re grateful to the University of Kentucky in how accommodating their entire team has been in facilitating this important discussion on a topic that is more relevant than ever following the Iowa Caucus, and with the Nevada Caucus and Super Tuesday right around the corner,” said Justin Griffin, the project’s managing director.
About the USC Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership & Policy: The center was created a dozen years ago when Professor Geoffrey Cowan stepped down after a decade as Dean of the USC Annenberg School to become a University Professor and to lead a new research and policy center. From the start, one of CCLP’s areas of focus has been the impact of communication technology on society. For more background on CCLP, please visit its website.