June 12, 2024
Longer description:
In October 2023, the OECD organised an event Getting Civic Tech Right for Democracy. This event, and the note contextualising it, covered a crucial question: how do we go from digital tools to digital public spaces?
Digital technologies hold great promise for enhancing civic participation, but if they are to have a positive impact, certain conditions must be met around accessibility, privacy, transparency, accountability, et cetera.
When thinking about digital technologies for participation as public spaces, the narrative can shift to promote a stronger role for public authorities in developing, deploying and monitoring such technologies. In addition, the notion of public space includes more naturally questions of access, uses, rules, community and rights. Finally, the question of infrastructure is central for any public space, mirroring the need for public digital infrastructure in the context of digital participation.
This presentation introduces the Getting Civic Tech Right for Democracy work done by the OECD and suggests first recommendations to move from the traditional tool-centric approach and embrace a more holistic perspective for digital participation.