The Age of New Media (with 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 by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, The Briefing, at https://go.brennancenter.org/briefing.
The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so that they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office.