ABSTRACT
Disinformation, sowing dissension, and behavioral microtargeting now surround campaign advertising, leaving Americans either dispirited about the state of politics generally or highly polarized in their party-based beliefs. Being able to deliver political ads via both mass media and social media has only added to the problem. A variety of reform efforts have been advanced, but the problem is complicated: how to balance the importance of free expression with the integrity of the information ecosystem and the health of the polity itself. Many remedies have been proposed: crafting better ad watches; implementing ranked-choice voting; strengthening political parties; increasing public education efforts; and reining in big tech. Which solution is best? Which is dangerous? Which is practical? Which will make democracy safe for political advertising?
