Depolarization in the age of misinformation

As the federal government entered a shutdown on October 1st, a new controversy emerged over how federal agencies communicate during political standoffs. Pop-ups and banners appeared on agency websites blaming one side of Congress for the funding lapse, prompting questions about whether such messaging violated federal rules meant to keep government communications neutral. The episode has drawn bipartisan concern and renewed scrutiny of the Hatch Act, a 1939 law that governs political activity in federal workplaces.

The Shutdown and Federal Website Pop-ups

The government shutdown began after negotiations over the federal budget collapsed. Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress, needed Democratic support in the Senate to pass a series of funding bills, or Continuing Resolutions, but failed to reach an agreement before the deadline. In the hours before the shutdown took effect, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, posted a full-screen red banner stating, “The Radical Left in Congress shut down the government. HUD will use available resources to help Americans in need.” Users could not access the website until clicking through the message.