The Age of New Media (with V Spehar)

About this episode

The episode discusses the impact of new media on voter information and political advocacy, featuring insights from V Spehar.

As the midterm elections draw near, the questions of how voters get their information and who they are listening to are top of mind. Polling shows that more than half of Americans get at least some of their news from social media — and that number is even larger for younger voters. V Spehar is an expert on political discourse online and a content creator with over 4 million followers. They are known for Under the Desk News, a go-to TikTok and podcast current events series, and have been featured on the Today Show, NPR, Time Magazine, and much more. Listen as V and Brennan Center experts discuss new trends in media, the ecosystem of political influencers and commentators, and how social media is increasingly used for political advocacy. They will also discuss what we can do to confront the spread of mis- and disinformation, especially around elections, and empower voters in times of great divisiveness and turmoil online. Recorded on April 22, 2026 Speakers: V Spehar, Host and Creator, Under the Desk News Pinky Weitzman, Vice President of Communication and Strategy, Brennan Center Moderator: Michael Waldman, President and CEO, Brennan Center Keep up with the Brennan Center’s work…

People in this episode

Host: Michael Waldman

Guest: V Spehar

Topics covered

• midterm elections
• social media
• political discourse
• voter information
• misinformation
• political advocacy

Keywords

• midterm elections
• social media
• political influencers
• misinformation
• voter empowerment

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Brennan Center for Justice, Under the Desk News, Today Show, NPR, Time Magazine

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