Int'l Law and the 2020 Presidential Election--Session One: Cyber Threats and Election Interference

Description: 

The American Society of International Law is pleased to announce a free online series examining what the 2020 Presidential Election will mean for the future of international law. The six hour-long sessions will feature discussions with current and former public officials, campaign representatives, and leading experts from academia, private practice, and non-governmental organizations. Full session details here.

Session One: Cyber Threats and Election Interference

This session will consider the legal and security implications of foreign interference in the U.S. elections, and will examine the 2020 U.S. presidential candidates' policies and perspectives.

On August 7, the director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center issued a threat update stating that "Ahead of the 2020 U.S. elections, foreign states will continue to use covert and overt influence measures in their attempts to sway U.S. voters' preferences and perspectives, shift U.S. policies, increase discord in the United States, and undermine the American people's confidence in our democratic process. They may also seek to compromise our election infrastructure for a range of possible purposes, such as interfering with the voting process, stealing sensitive data, or calling into question the validity of the election results."

This session will address these issues and discuss the impact that the result of the 2020 presidential election will have on how the U.S. Government responds to them.

Speakers:

  • Susan Benesch, Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, Harvard University
  • Carrie Cordero, Center for a New American Security
  • Jamil N. Jaffer, National Security Institute, George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School
  • Chimène Keitner (moderator), UC Hastings Law, San Francisco

Date and Location

Date: 
Wednesday, August 19, 2020 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm
Location: 
ONLINE