What Happens When Technology Moves Faster Than Democratic Institutions Can Adapt? with Katie Harbath

Technology is transforming how campaigns communicate, how voters engage with politics, and how democratic institutions operate. But what happens when innovation moves faster than democracy can adapt? Join the Institute of Politics for the next installment of our Food for Thought series featuring Katie Harbath, author of Disrupting Politics: A Front Row Seat to the Collision of Technology and Democracy. Drawing on 25 years at the intersection of technology and politics—including a decade leading public policy at Facebook—Harbath will offer an insider’s perspective on how digital platforms have reshaped political campaigns, public discourse, and democratic participation. As artificial intelligence introduces a new set of opportunities and challenges ahead of the 2026 and 2028 elections, the conversation will examine how campaigns, technology companies, and policymakers are navigating this rapidly changing landscape, and what it will take to ensure democratic institutions can keep pace. *Lunch will be served.