About Modern Politics

Modern Politics (modpol.org) is a long-form public history project that documents how networked technologies have reshaped American political life since the early 1990s. We gather and synthesize archival material, academic research, oral histories, and primary-source reporting to create a neutral record of the internet era’s influence on democracy.

Our work is organized around three commitments:

1. Historical accuracy — Every entry is grounded in verifiable evidence with citations to primary or well-sourced secondary materials. We treat rumor, speculation, and partisan messaging with caution, prioritizing traceable documentation.
2. Contextual storytelling — Facts alone can obscure the human systems behind change. We surface the relationships between people, technologies, movements, and institutions to help readers understand “how” and “why,” not just “what.”
3. Open civic literacy — The resources here are intended for journalists, researchers, educators, students, and citizens who want to understand the mechanics of contemporary politics without paywalls or advertising.

Scope of Coverage

We focus on the interplay between digital infrastructure and political behavior in the United States from 1994 onward. This includes:

• The lifecycle of online platforms, tools, and protocols used for civic or political activity
• Grassroots movements, activist networks, and emergent communities that organize online
• Public policy, laws, and court rulings that govern digital speech and participation
• Media ecosystems, narrative frames, and information cascades amplified by technology
• Key events that signal shifts in digital strategy, governance, or civic engagement

Editorial Independence

Modern Politics is a nonpartisan initiative. We do not accept donations, grants, or partnerships that would compromise editorial control. Our contributors include historians, political scientists, technologists, and researchers working across institutions. Editorial decisions are made collaboratively with a strict conflict-of-interest policy documented on our Contributors page.

Why This Project Exists

American politics has absorbed the logic of networked communication. Political actors now operate simultaneously across social feeds, encrypted chats, algorithmically tuned ad systems, and legacy media. Without a coherent historical record, critical debates about regulation, democratic integrity, and civic trust lack context. Modern Politics seeks to provide that shared factual foundation.