TICTeC 2025, Mechelen & online

Schedule

10 June 2025

9:15 am
Conference registration & refreshments Only registered attendees can attend. Sign up here if you’d like to come! Where: Mechelen-Centraal (First floor of Lamot Congress and Heritage Centre)
10:00 am
10:00 am · Auditorium / Livestreamed Welcome to TICTeC 2025 Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Louise Crow (CEO, mySociety, UK) Opening words from mySociety's Chief Executive. See session detail
10:15 am
10:15 am · Auditorium / Livestreamed Welcome to Mechelen, TICTeC 2025’s host city Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Kristof Calvo (Vice Mayor of Mechelen) A few words from the Vice Mayor of Mechelen, on why hosting TICTeC is so important, and relevant pro-democracy work in the city. See session detail
10:30 am
10:30 am · Auditorium / Livestreamed Keynote address: Reclaiming democratic technology governance for our society Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Marietje Schaake (Stanford Cyber Policy Center, Institute for Human-Centered AI, Financial Times) As a global society, we are navigating a delicate line between the good that tech can do for democracy, and the dangers of letting self-interested tech giants dominate the field. It serves us to examine how authoritarian regimes are using tech, and to ask, can democracies reclaim sovereignty and stand up for the interests of citizens? See session detail
11:15 am
11:15 am · Auditorium / Livestreamed Defending democracy with/from tech Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Ramsha Jahangir (Tech Policy Press (MODERATOR)) Mike Bracken (Public Digtal) Marietje Schaake (Stanford Cyber Policy Center, Institute for Human-Centered AI, Financial Times) Silvana Fumega (Global Data Barometer) What is the role of tech in a global pro democracy movement? Our panel discusses the challenges posed by tech, and the potential to repurpose technology in democratic defence. See session detail
11:45 am
Refreshment break Where: Mechelen-Centraal + outdoor terrace, weather permitting (First floor)
12:00 pm
12:00 pm Meet & chat Your annual chance to mix with the community that understands you best. Find the folk doing similar work to you, facing the same challenges or working towards the same aims. See session detail
12:30 pm
Standing buffet lunch Where: Mechelen-Centraal + outdoor terrace, weather permitting (First floor)
1:30 pm
1:30 pm · Auditorium OPTION 1: Tech for better elections Countering information disorder in Nigerian elections Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Aluko Ahmad (Centre for Democracy and Development, Nigeria) Tasked to identify trends and actors fuelling information disorder ahead of the elections, the CDD West Africa team launched a social media chatbot, allowing users to directly report claims from their own social media channels. The submitted claims enabled the team to upload verified fact-checks, granting users real-time access to accurate information. See session detail Empowering young voters through Voting Aid Applications Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Sofie Marien (Tree company, Belgium) Eva Henkens (Tree company, Belgium) In times of increasing misinformation and declining voter turnout, particularly among younger generations, well-designed Voting Aid Applications (VAAs) can play a pivotal role in revitalising democratic engagement. Gain insights into best practices for creating high-quality VAAs that increase (informed) voting and strengthen the electoral process and institutions. See session detail Quick count with cutting-edge technology tools on the 2024 Venezuelan elections Speakers Miklós Danka (Stateless Election Technologies, United Kingdom) Nandor Toth (Stateless Election Technologies, Germany) The 2024 elections were the most important in the modern history of Venezuela. A quick count project aimed to provide the real results of the elections to stakeholders immediately — and was a huge success, providing the election results before the regime announced the results in a public broadcast. Please note, this session won't be livestreamed. See session detail Q&A for ‘Tech for better elections’ session (i.e. the above three presentations) See session detail	1:30 pm · Dijlezaal OPTION 2: Enabling pro-democracy technology: what do we need from government and public authorities? Speakers Gavin Freeguard (Gavin Freeguard Ltd, UK) Many previous developments in civic tech and pro-democracy tech have been made possible by the actions of governments, parliaments and other authorities, through legislation, access to information (such as data, transcripts or code) or even funding. But what enabling infrastructure, policies and approaches should we be demanding of governments now? Join this short workshop to discuss. See session detail	1:30 pm · Herten Aas OPTION 3: Defending democracy, internet freedom and digital security What digital security solutions [don’t] work for civil society organisations Speakers Mykola Kostynyan (RESIDENT.ngo, Lithuania) Civil society organisations combat dictatorships, corruption, election falsifications, etc — and so are natural enemies to actors with huge amount of resources and motivation to fight back. Hear RESIDENT.ngo's experience with recent sophisticated attacks in Eastern Europe, and learn what measures actually work for small to medium civil society organisations. Please note: This session won't be livestreamed or recorded. See session detail Six months of African pro-democracy innovating: what have we learned? Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Gabriella Razzano (OpenUp, South Africa) Carl Jacobs (OpenUp, South Africa) Examining the "Empower, Innovate, Connect" framework through user stories and impact data from OpenUp's grants management system. Concrete evidence and learnings from a novel digital democracy support mechanism across Sub-Saharan Africa, demonstrating how targeted support can strengthen local pro-democracy innovation, whilst dealing with digital inequality and civic restrictions. See session detail New Belarus: showcasing digital innovation to strengthen democracy, transparency, and civic participation Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Pavel Liber (Nation - Digital Society Platform, Lithuania) In response to the 2020 Belarusian election crisis, New Belarus emerged as a digital ecosystem (mobile app + web platform), uniting Belarusians worldwide. Its mission transcends technology by building a resilient global Belarusian community committed to freedom and democracy, through an array of digital and civic tech initiatives. See session detail Q&A for ‘Defending democracy, internet freedom and digital security’ session (i.e. the above presentations) See session detail
2:45 pm
Refreshment break Where: Mechelen-Centraal + outdoor terrace, weather permitting (First floor)
3:00 pm
3:00 pm · Auditorium OPTION 1: Access to Information for the public good Infrastructure for democracy: how Abrimos.info is transforming governance in Latin America Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Martín Szyszlican (Abrimos.info, Mexico) Abrimos.info is a newly established organisation with a mission to strengthen democracy across Latin America by building and scaling digital infrastructures that promote transparency, accountability, and public participation. Discover how they are driving measurable impact in transparency around public officials' disclosures, contracting information and Access to Information. See session detail Unveiling the power of transparency: how Access to Information exposed systemic failures in Poland’s 2020 elections Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Marzena Błaszczyk (Citizens Network Watchdog, Poland) The 2020 Polish presidential elections demonstrated how Access to Information can play a pivotal role in uncovering abuses of power. Discover how Citizens Network Watchdog Poland used FOI to file criminal complaints against mayors for illegal data transfers, holding authorities accountable, exposing institutional failures, and challenging unlawful actions. See session detail Data to advance equity, inclusion, and sustainability Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Silvana Fumega (Global Data Barometer, Argentina) The Global Data Barometer provides fresh insights into how data is being governed, shared and used to advance the public good, with a special focus on the Global South. Learn about key recommendations for strengthening data ecosystems, including fostering collaborations between civic tech actors, governments, and researchers to promote evidence-based decision-making and policy innovation. See session detail Q&A for ‘Access to Information for the public good’ session (i.e. the above three presentations) Livestream available for registered online attendees only See session detail	3:00 pm · Dijlezaal OPTION 2: How can AI and civic tech build consensus for climate policy and include the voices of future generations? Speakers Lula Chen (MIT GOV/LAB, US) Alisa Zomer (MIT GOV/LAB, US) Sasha Rollinger (MIT GOV/LAB, US) Take part in a real-time simulation around pathways for decarbonisation in this workshop. Research shows that most people agree about the risks and severe impacts of climate change, but there is disagreement on how to address the problem. See first hand how a tool that integrates online deliberation with the power of generative AI aims to break this deadlock. See session detail	3:00 pm · Herten Aas / Livestreamed OPTION 3: Fostering usage of pro-democracy technology Changing the argument for using civic technology Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Rodney Schwartz (Delib, UK) The moral and ethical case for Pro-Democracy Technology has been made for many years. Despite decades of effort, little has changed. The argument that politicians must “do this because it’s the right thing to do” has not been successful. The rise of far-right populist parties across the world implores us to consider a different approach. See session detail Solving climate data deserts on the municipal level: Climate Diaries Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Giulio Carvalho (Open Knowledge Brazil) Accessing, understanding, and utilising municipal-level data related to climate governance in Brazil presents significant challenges. Hear how six organisations with expertise in climate journalism, transparency, and open data made a coalition to build an open source platform that collects, processes, and shares local climate-related official acts from 504 cities (and counting!), making them easily accessible and allowing for customised monitoring. See session detail Dream Con: how civic tech puts citizens at the centre of constitutional reform Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Thanisara Ruangdej (GG) (WeVis, Thailand) Thailand has experienced 13 coups in 90 years, leading to 20 versions of constitutions, each tailored to the power-holders of the time. In response, the WeVis team — directly affected by the latest constitution — aimed to shift the dynamic by empowering citizens to actively participate in redesigning the constitution. See session detail Q&A for ‘Fostering usage of pro-democracy technology’ session (i.e. the above presentations) Livestream available for registered online attendees only See session detail
4:15 pm
Refreshment break Where: Mechelen-Centraal + outdoor terrace, weather permitting (First floor)
4:30 pm
4:30 pm · Auditorium OPTION 1: Democratic literacy and participation The current state of open government and digital transparency in the Netherlands Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Jan van der Burgt (Open State Foundation, Netherlands) Quinten Coret (Open State Foundation, Netherlands) Discover three of Open State Foundation's most impactful pro-democracy projects in the Netherlands, including a search tool to make documents of all levels of government more findable; research on late responses to Access to Information requests; and open calendars of ministerial meetings that anyone can subscribe to. See session detail Making Pakistan’s constitution accessible through AI Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Ali Raza (Code for Pakistan, Pakistan) What if anyone could understand their constitutional rights by simply asking questions in their own language? Numainda, Code for Pakistan's AI-powered legislative bot, turns this possibility into reality by breaking down the country's constitution and legislation into clear, actionable information in both Urdu and English. See session detail Localised agenda alerts create engaged, informed citizens Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Julia McKenna (Northwestern University, US) Alex Cabral (Georgia Tech, US) Public meetings are an important part of democracy, but they are not always well-attended. Creating localised and real-time agenda alerts allows people to be engaged, informed citizens. Learn how one Indigenous nation is employing natural language processing to uphold sovereignty and rights in the 21st century. See session detail Q&A for ‘Democratic literacy and participation’ session (i.e. the above three presentations) Livestream available for registered online attendees only See session detail	4:30 pm · Dijlezaael OPTION 2: Unconference sessions Unconference session 1 This session will be chosen by attendees on the day of the conference. All attendees will have the opportunity to suggest and vote on unconference sessions. See session detail Unconference session 2 This session will be chosen by attendees on the day of the conference. All attendees will have the opportunity to suggest and vote on unconference sessions. See session detail Unconference session 3 This session will be chosen by attendees on the day of the conference. All attendees will have the opportunity to suggest and vote on unconference sessions. See session detail	4:30 pm · Herten Aas OPTION 3: AI and governance Breaking AI monopolies: building public AI as an alternative infrastructure Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Felix Sieker (Bertelsmann Stiftung, Germany) As AI systems become fundamental to civic participation, their concentration in the hands of a few tech giants poses critical challenges to digital sovereignty and civic empowerment. Public AI could serve as a democratic counterweight to commercial AI systems, enabling civic tech organisations to maintain independence while harnessing AI's potential. See session detail Putting the humans back in: Manchester People’s Panel for AI Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Sherelle Fairweather (Manchester City Council, UK) Becky McMillan (Manchester City Council, UK) AI-enabled services should reflect the wants, hopes, and needs of the people they are designed to serve. Discover the positive impact of a democratic approach to AI in expanding access to education and improving the use, effectiveness and inclusivity of new initiatives within the communities they serve. See session detail Community-led AI audits: why they matter and how to start one Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Matt Stempeck (Civic Tech Field Guide, Portugal) Eloise Gabadou (Civic Tech Field Guide, France) Yung-Shuan Wu (Civic Tech Field Guide, UK) Audits of AI systems looked at predictive algorithms in the criminal justice system; discrimination by ride-hailing platforms; and city-level social services — and had real impact. You too can lead audits of AI systems affecting your own communities. Together we can hold these systems accountable for equitable outcomes in the real world. See session detail Q&A for ‘AI and governance’ session (i.e. the above three presentations) Livestream available for registered online attendees only See session detail
5:45 pm
Drinks & nibbles reception We’re delighted that Stad Mechelen/the City of Mechelen will host the TICTeC drinks reception at their beautiful City Hall (also known as Keldermans Zaal), which is a 10 minute walk from the venue. TICTeC attendees will be guided to the City Hall on foot by our friends at Meet in Mechelen. We thank both Stad Mechelen and Meet in Mechelen for their support.
7:45 pm
End of Day 1

11 June 2025

9:00 am
Arrival & refreshments Where: Mechelen-Centraal + outdoor terrace, weather permitting (First floor)
9:15 am
9:15 am · Auditorium / Livestreamed Welcome to TICTeC day two Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Louise Crow (CEO, mySociety, UK) See session detail
9:30 am
9:30 am · Auditorium / Livestreamed Keynote address: A stronger democracy – through data, information and technology Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Fernanda Campagnucci (InternetLab & University of Muenster, Brazil) What is made possible by new forms of technology — especially in the civic participation space — and what needs to happen to make those possibilities a reality? Tech innovations are making political participation easier and more accessible across the globe, while open data and access to information continue to play a vital part in strengthening our democracies. Fernanda will draw on her latest research as lead of the State Capacity in Smart Cities for Online Participation (SCOPE) project. See session detail
10:15 am
10:15 am · Auditorium / Livestreamed Growing the Open Society: Tech and democratic innovation Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Louise Crow (mySociety - MODERATOR) Colin Megill (Polis / The Computational Democracy Project) Fernanda Campagnucci (InternetLab & University of Muenster) Martin Tisné (AI Collaborative) Can tech strengthen democracy by making new approaches possible? This panel explores the constructive possibilities of tech and democracy, to build the capacity of the engine of democratic progress, increase democratic trust and resilience, and strengthen the heartbeat of civic and democratic life. See session detail
11:00 am
Refreshment break Where: Mechelen-Centraal + outdoor terrace, weather permitting (First floor)
11:15 am
11:15 am · Auditorium OPTION 1: Tech for deliberation and participation Waves: trialling a new AI-powered digital deliberation process to strengthen trust in local government Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Miriam Levin (Demos, UK) Demos is leading the largest trial of digital democracy in the UK. Waves is a €1 million project trialling new technology in local democracy to bring people together to tackle contentious local issues and strengthen trust in local government. See session detail Why consultation matters: the impact of 10 million voices Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Louise Cato (Delib, UK) Jessie Ashmore (Delib, UK) Public consultation is often seen as a bureaucratic exercise: a checkbox for government departments and public sector organisations to tick — but the reality is far more profound. Through Delib's decades of experience of powering some of the biggest national conversations, they've seen how meaningful consultation fundamentally changes policy outcomes and strengthens democratic decision-making. See session detail Polis: Updates and impacts Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Colin Megill (Polis / The Computational Democracy Project, US) Polis is a real-time system for gathering, analyzing and understanding what large groups of people think in their own words, enabled by advanced statistics and machine learning. Polis has been used all over the world by governments, academics, independent media and citizens, and is completely open source. Join this session to hear the latest on the Polis project. See session detail Q&A for ‘Tech for deliberation and participation’ session (i.e. the above presentations) Livestream available for registered online attendees only See session detail	11:15 am · Dijlezaal OPTION 2: Leveraging civic tech to track climate finance and curb corruption Speakers Evelyn Hernandez (CoST - Infrastructure Transparency Initiative, France) Michael Cengkuru (CoST - Infrastructure Transparency Initiative, Uganda) An interactive workshop to document challenges, lessons, and strategies for leveraging civic tech to track climate finance and curb corruption. Insights from the workshop will contribute to a white paper on actionable civic tech solutions and strengthen a community of practice. See session detail	11:15 am · Herten Aas OPTION 3: Democratic transparency and parliamentary monitoring The impact of the Promise Tracker tool Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Gitungo Wamere (Mzalendo Trust, Kenya) Caroline Gaita (Mzalendo Trust, Kenya) The Promise Tracker, launched in 2023, tracks government and opposition promises to enhance accountability and foster participatory democracy. See how civic tech can transform governance by bridging the gap between data, dialogue, and accountability. By empowering citizens with actionable insights, it also bolsters democratic participation. See session detail Impacts of parliamentary monitoring in Spain Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Celia Zafra (Political Watch, Spain) Pablo Martín (Political Watch, Spain) 'Qué Hacen Los Diputados' (What MPs Do) addresses gaps in parliamentary transparency and accountability, addressing a persistent reality: public institutions often lag in transparency and accountability without citizen pressure. The project organises parliamentary data in an accessible, user-friendly format — invaluable for citizens, journalists, researchers, and civil society, and fostering informed participation. See session detail Tainan City Council Watchbot: empowering informed citizens through AI Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Billy Zhe-Wei Lin (Tainan Sprout, Taiwan) The Tainan City Council WatchBot uses the proceedings released by Tainan City Council to train its AI-powered system to analyse and respond to questions about the council's proceedings. It provides a user-friendly interface that guides citizens to quickly find answers, accompanied by relevant meeting sources to support traceability — and is all open source. See session detail Q&A for ‘Democratic transparency and parliamentary monitoring’ session (i.e. the above three presentations) Livestream available for registered online attendees only See session detail
12:30 pm
Standing buffet lunch Where: Mechelen-Centraal + outdoor terrace, weather permitting (First floor)
1:30 pm
1:30 pm · Auditorium OPTION 1: Harnessing the power of data and AI for climate action Civic tech for investigative impact: how data-driven journalism strengthens transparency and democracy Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Reinaldo Chaves (Abraji (Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism)) Discover the measurable impact of civic tech to enhance transparency, accountability, and environmental protection, and how investigative journalism can utilise data tools to drive democratic outcomes. Case studies involving Brazilian journalists show how by connecting disparate datasets, patterns of corruption, environmental violations, and misuse of public resources can be uncovered. See session detail Using civic tech to supercharge lobbying transparency Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Rose Whiffen (Transparency International UK) Discover Open Access, the tool from Transparency International which makes lobbying data in the UK more accessible to all. Within the area of climate, analysis shows patterns of lobbying by fossil fuel companies. Learn how the tool uncovered this — and how to conduct a similar analysis around your own interests. See session detail Providing cities with critical environmental data to unlock climate solutions Speakers Johanna Harings (Google, Germany) The climate emergency calls for systemic, global efforts to reduce emissions, transition energy systems, and make economies more sustainable. AI and collective action can help. Google provides several AI tools for cities to draw insights, to take action at scale and to respond to the challenges posed by climate change. Please note: This session won't be livestreamed or recorded. See session detail Q&A for ‘Harnessing the power of data and AI for climate action’ session (i.e. the above three presentations) See session detail	1:30 pm · Dijlezaal OPTION 2: Connect, collaborate, create: The g0v approach to civic tech Speakers Isabel Hou (g0v.tw, Taiwan) Ya-wei Chou (Global Innovation Hub, Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Taiwan) Billion Lee (Cofacts, Taiwan) This workshop will delve into actionable strategies for creating impactful civic tech projects. It draws inspiration and guidance from the g0v civic tech handbook born from Taiwan's vibrant grassroots tech community. g0v's core principles of self-organisation, open-source collaboration, and bi-monthly hackathons have fostered a dynamic environment for innovation. See session detail	1:30 pm · Herten Aas / Livestreamed OPTION 3: How do you know if your work is making an impact? Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Liset Hamming (SPOON, Netherlands) Krisztina Zala (Átlátszónet Foundation, Hungary) Carl Jacobs (OpenUp, South Africa) Over the past year, mySociety and OpenUp have been working closely with SPOON and the Átlátszónet Foundation, both organisations focus on improving access to government information, to explore a critical but often overlooked question: How do you know if your projects are actually making a difference? In this insightful session, Liset and Krisztina will share their hands-on experiences, practical methodologies, and key findings from their efforts to —for the first time— track and measure the impact of their projects. You'll also hear from OpenUp about how they’ve successfully demonstrated the value of their work through innovative impact measurement. Whether you're just starting out or looking to sharpen your evaluation strategies, this panel will equip you with ideas, tools, and inspiration to better assess and communicate the impact of your work — and ultimately, to drive more meaningful change. See session detail
2:45 pm
Refreshment break Where: Mechelen-Centraal + outdoor terrace, weather permitting (First floor)
3:00 pm
3:00 pm · Auditorium OPTION 1: Public-interest tech Directions for ‘civic social media’: designing and managing trusted online community spaces Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Martijn de Waal (Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands) Eva Oosterlaken (Futurall / Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Netherlands) Recent developments at Facebook and X have shown the need for 'civic social media' platforms — thriving and trusted digital meeting spaces that allow communities to safely meet, without economic exploitation or the fear of harassment. What does it take to design and manage such sites? See session detail MyMzansi: building South Africa’s democratic digital public infrastructure Livestream available for registered online attendees only Speakers Richard Gevers (Open Cities Lab, South Africa) Practical insights from South Africa's groundbreaking Digital Mzansi initiative — a comprehensive programme to transform government service delivery through democratic Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). Hear of the concrete progress that has been made, and plans for building open, inclusive digital systems that reach millions of citizens. See session detail Algorithmic Transparency Recommendations to Develop Citizen Trust in the State: The Chilean Case Speakers Christian Anker (Council for Transparency, Chile) This presentation will review the algorithmic transparency recommendations developed by the Council for Transparency (CPLT) of Chile, which aim to advance greater transparency and explainability of automated and semi-automated decision-making systems that are used by public bodies to provide goods and services to citizens, since it is essential that the information about these decision-making systems be known and published on the websites of the services in a clear, accessible and updated way, for example, in the granting of benefits to citizens. See session detail Q&A for ‘Public-interest tech’ session (i.e. the above three presentations) See session detail	3:00 pm · Dijlezaal OPTION 2: Short workshops 3:00pm: Co-creating urban spaces in Mechelen using Extended Reality and innovative participatory design Speakers Anne Smits (Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, Belgium) Jolien Damen (Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, Belgium) Jorgos Coenen (Citizen Dialog Kit, Belgium) Whilst enjoying views of the Dijle river itself, join local researchers from Mechelen-based Thomas Moore University of Applied Sciences to hear about their work with the City of Mechelen on an innovative civic participation project that aims to make areas around the river more inclusive, sustainable and enriching. Designed using an innovative co-creation process, the project incorporates not only inputs from citizens, but also the perspectives of other living organisms. Attendees will have the chance to experience the project's Extended Reality techniques used to gather citizen feedback. See session detail 3:40pm: Democratic innovation through AI in parliaments Speakers Franklin De Vrieze (Westminster Foundation for Democracy, UK) Dimitris Koryzis (Hellenic Parliament, Greece) Alex Scales (Westminster Foundation for Democracy, UK) Westminster Foundation for Democracy recently published the world’s first guidelines for integrating AI in parliamentary functions. In this interactive short workshop, Westminster Foundation for Democracy, together with a representative of the Hellenic Parliament, will discuss the real-life cases of the use of AI to foster innovation and resilience in parliaments worldwide. See session detail	3:00 pm · Herten Aas OPTION 3: Short workshops 3:00pm: Testing information literacy, and popular assumptions about how to tell if something is AI-generated Speakers Camino Rojo (Google, Spain) Information literacy is crucial for democracies in the digital age. Having the skills and information to assess the trustworthiness of content encountered online is a key component of information literacy. Take part in an exercise to test your information literacy, as well as popular assumptions about how to tell if something is AI-generated. See session detail 3:40pm: Time for interoperability- how civic tech solutions integrate to engage citizens at scale Speakers Evelien Nieuwenburg (Association Civic Tech Europe, Belgium) Valentin Chaput (OSP, France) Wietse Van Ransbeeck (Go Vocal, Belgium) Hendrik Nahr (Make.org, Belgium) Civic tech professionals are increasingly choosing integration as a strategic approach to enhance their impact. By connecting tools, platforms, and methodologies, they are creating more seamless and inclusive pathways for mobilisation and participation. Learn how AI-driven tools, participatory platforms, and mobilisation technologies collaborate to engage citizens at scale and address societal challenges effectively. See session detail
4:15 pm
Refreshment break Where: Mechelen-Centraal + outdoor terrace, weather permitting (First floor)
4:30 pm
4:30 pm · Auditorium / Livestreamed The future of tech, the future of TICTeC: Navigating AI in Pro-Democracy Tech Livestream available for registered online attendees only As the rapid development of AI reshapes how societies function, how should the civic and pro-democracy tech communities respond? Join mySociety’s CEO, Programme Leads, and special guests for a lively and interactive discussion on striking the right balance between automation and human agency in pro-democracy tech—and how TICTeC initiatives might help shape this critical frontier going forwards. In this final session of TICTeC 2025 before we all head our separate ways, come ready to share your ideas, challenge assumptions, and help shape the conversation. See session detail
5:30 pm
End of Conference

TICTeC 2025, Mechelen & online

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Schedule

10 June 2025

9:15 am

Conference registration & refreshments

10:00 am

Welcome to TICTeC 2025

Speakers

10:15 am

Welcome to Mechelen, TICTeC 2025’s host city

Speakers

10:30 am

Keynote address: Reclaiming democratic technology governance for our society

Speakers

11:15 am

Defending democracy with/from tech

Speakers

11:45 am

Refreshment break

12:00 pm

Meet & chat

12:30 pm

Standing buffet lunch

1:30 pm

OPTION 1: Tech for better elections

Countering information disorder in Nigerian elections

Speakers

Empowering young voters through Voting Aid Applications

Speakers

Quick count with cutting-edge technology tools on the 2024 Venezuelan elections

Speakers

Q&A for ‘Tech for better elections’ session (i.e. the above three presentations)

OPTION 2: Enabling pro-democracy technology: what do we need from government and public authorities?

Speakers

OPTION 3: Defending democracy, internet freedom and digital security

What digital security solutions [don’t] work for civil society organisations

Speakers

Six months of African pro-democracy innovating: what have we learned?

Speakers

New Belarus: showcasing digital innovation to strengthen democracy, transparency, and civic participation

Speakers

Q&A for ‘Defending democracy, internet freedom and digital security’ session (i.e. the above presentations)

2:45 pm

Refreshment break

3:00 pm

OPTION 1: Access to Information for the public good

Infrastructure for democracy: how Abrimos.info is transforming governance in Latin America

Speakers

Unveiling the power of transparency: how Access to Information exposed systemic failures in Poland’s 2020 elections

Speakers

Data to advance equity, inclusion, and sustainability

Speakers

Q&A for ‘Access to Information for the public good’ session (i.e. the above three presentations)

OPTION 2: How can AI and civic tech build consensus for climate policy and include the voices of future generations?

Speakers

OPTION 3: Fostering usage of pro-democracy technology

Changing the argument for using civic technology

Speakers

Solving climate data deserts on the municipal level: Climate Diaries

Speakers

Dream Con: how civic tech puts citizens at the centre of constitutional reform

Speakers

Q&A for ‘Fostering usage of pro-democracy technology’ session (i.e. the above presentations)

4:15 pm

Refreshment break

4:30 pm

OPTION 1: Democratic literacy and participation

The current state of open government and digital transparency in the Netherlands

Speakers

Making Pakistan’s constitution accessible through AI

Speakers