Jenny Stromer-Galley

iSchool professor Jennifer Stromer-Galley warns that weak digital ad regulations and shady election tactics leave voters vulnerable to manipulation in a fragmented information environment.

Jennifer Stromer-Galley explains how campaigns now use merchandise to collect supporter data through a “swag-to-text” strategy. Known for picking quirky items like John McCain’s ice scraper, she draws the line at pricier pieces—Jeb Bush’s $75 “Guaca Bowle” was, she admits, a bit too much for research.

iSchool professor Jennifer Stromer-Galley cautions that political text messages often evade public scrutiny, making it easier for campaigns to spread misleading information. The lack of transparency, she notes, creates a challenge for journalists and researchers seeking accountability.

Jennifer Stromer-Galley, professor at the School of Information Studies, observes a rising tide of negativity in election ads compared to 2020. "The advertisements this election are more uncivil and just overall more negative than what we saw in 2020," she says, noting that an estimated 65% of Donald Trump’s ads contain negative content, compared to only 30% for Kamala Harris.

Jennifer Stromer-Galley, lead researcher at ElectionGraph, expresses concern over the rise of scams on Facebook and Instagram that mimic legitimate ads. These ads, often filled with falsehoods and deepfakes, mislead voters and further degrade the integrity of the information environment.

iSchool professor Jennifer Stromer-Galley comments on a New York Times article about Kamala Harris outspending Donald Trump by tens of millions in digital ads. Stromer-Galley noted that Harris has outspent Trump by more than 10 to 1 on Meta platforms, a move that could reshape the race.