PETs’ potential: How tech can bolster democracy
In the years since the Internet first took off, the techno-triumphalism of the 1990s gave way to the sober realization in the 2010s that authoritarian governments can easily use digital… Read more »
Category: digital democracy
Democracy-affirming technologies vs digital authoritarianism
Russia’s cyber-activities focus on sowing political and economic turmoil in the West, undercutting Westerners’ faith in democratic government, and weakening the influence of Western countries in Russia’s neighborhood, notes Dmitri… Read more »
Surveillance, personalization, disinformation…. How social media impacts democracy
Surveillance, personalization, disinformation, moderation and microtargeting are just some of the ways in which social media threaten democratic processes, according to a new analysis. They also undermine democracy by distorting… Read more »
Digital activism confronts authoritarian adaptation
Protests in Lebanon, Algeria, and Sudan, the substantial boycott of Iran’s recent presidential “election”, new forms of activism, and multiple rounds of the Arab Barometer, confirm that people in the… Read more »
Summit for Democracy offers chance to ‘rethink’ democratic systems
Contemporary authoritarianism is an existential test for democratic societies and the upcoming US-led Summit for Democracy offers an opportunity to ‘rethink’ democratic systems, says the Club of Madrid, the forum of… Read more »
Time to disarm political weapon of internet shutdowns
The imposition of an internet shutdowns was among the first acts of Sudan’s military as it seized power in last week’s coup, Access Now reports. UN Special Rapporteur Clement Voule… Read more »
A ‘new ecosystem’ of pro-democracy actors countering disinformation
Disinformation presents a profound threat to democracy, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s told the Dutch Parliament today. “It’s not just conspiracy theorists and marginalized, angry people online,” he said. “It’s… Read more »
A ‘multilateral democratic counterweight’ to digital authoritarians
Today, many democracies are making messy efforts to build consensus around countering China and other countries identified with digital authoritarianism. The British-led D-10, for example, seeks alternatives to China’s telecommunications… Read more »
A ‘Technopolar Moment’? How digital powers will reshape global order
The most important question in geopolitics today might be, Will countries that break up or clamp down on their biggest technology firms also be able to seize the opportunities of… Read more »
Confronting digital repression
From the rollout of biometric surveillance tools to advances in machine learning to new social media regulations, recent developments in technology and its governance are presenting new opportunities for authoritarian… Read more »