Innovation for Democracy
How can Innovation foster Democracy?
Join our Innovation for Democracy Online Conference on 24/25 November 2021!
In 2021, Friedrich-Naumann-Foundation for Freedom’s Global Innovation Hub has moved to Taipei. One of its focus topics is “Innovation for Democracy”: How can we foster and strengthen democracy in innovative ways? How can we make use of digitalization to do so? What can we learn from best practices? Because as liberals, we are not afraid of technology or trying new things.
In the conference on 24/25 November, we want to examine more closely four topics that can give us some hints about how to go about our goal.
One thing that is both old and new, is the practice of “Deliberative Democracy”. The idea behind it is, that democracy is more than just voting every four to five years. It emphasizes collaborative decisionmaking, crowdsourcing of ideas, and a closer relationship between the governing and the governed.
The global pandemic has shifted many parts of our life online. And while things like zoom-fatigue are certainly real, there might also be a blessing in disguise attached to this pandemic: For many countries, it has meant an absolute surge in digitalization. The distinction between our “digital life” and our “real life” has been blurred – and the awareness has grown, that maybe they are not separate at all. …
When it comes to democracy and technology, there seems to be this consensus that they better not mix. The Cambridge Analytica Scandal where social media has been used for voter suppression seems to have solidified this sentiment. But technology is more than social media, and there are actually quite a few examples of using technology and digitalization to strengthen democracy. So don’t fear the Techie!
Disinformation continues to be a threat to democracy around the globe. The pandemic has clearly shown that it is not just an issue during times of elections, but really an all-year-round phenomenon. Why is it important to fight disinformation to safeguard democracy? What role does technology play in the fight against disinformation? How is it being used both to combat and to disseminate disinformation?
Meet our panelists here
Register here for our conference.
You can download the program here.