Starts
9:00 am—June 10, 2025
Ends
5:30 pm—June 11, 2025
To mark ten years since TICTeC began, mySociety will host the 8th Impacts of Civic Technology Conference (TICTeC) on 10 & 11 June 2025 in Mechelen, and online.

Resources

Supporters

TICTeC 2025

In light of the exceptional political times we’re living through, and that 2025 marks 10 years since TICTeC began, TICTeC 2025 will have a renewed focus on what we’re calling “Pro-Democracy Technology”.

TICTeC 2025 will bring together people working on defensive technology against threats to democracy, and those who are using technologies constructively to enrich and strengthen the heartbeat of civic and democratic life. Read more on our thoughts on reframing civic tech for the current moment.

TICTeC is a place where you can learn about everything from combating corruption and misinformation to empowering communities and enhancing civic participation, and is a unique platform where attendees connect and collaborate.

With a distinctive mix of tech practitioners, civil society leaders, and academic researchers, TICTeC isn’t just about showcasing cutting-edge pro-democracy tech innovations—it’s also about examining their real-world impact and effectiveness.

For its 8th edition, TICTeC 2025 will take place in person in the beautiful historical city of Mechelen, Belgium, and online. At previous TICTeC conferences, between 150-250 people have gathered from more than 35 countries.

Come along, and be part of the movement to leverage tech for a resilient and proactive democratic future.


TICTeC 2025’s core themes

Threats to democracy and civic power are rising across the world.

Anti-democratic actors aren’t standing still – and are constantly learning how to use technology to extend their power and control over people.

Democracy’s reaction to this needs to be not to reject technology but to use it to evolve and compete, particularly in addressing society-changing issues like climate change.

Democracy needs to be fast, effective and popular, and technology can and is helping to achieve this.

That’s why TICTeC exists – to highlight and examine these pro-democracy technologies, in a collaborative and safe space.

The 2025 TICTeC conference will focus on exploring the impact of pro-democracy tech innovations across several critical themes: Access to information (ATI) and open data; Democracy, people and politics; and climate change.

In each of these areas, we want to explore what we’re calling ‘defensive’ and ‘constructive’ approaches. Defensive approaches safeguard the openness democracy needs to operate – while constructive approaches build the capacity of the engine of democratic progress.


Schedule and keynotes announced

65+ speakers and workshop hosts from 25+ countries will share their works and experiences at TICTeC 2025 – the full schedule can be viewed at the bottom of this page.  Thank you to everyone who submitted proposals to present or host a workshop at TICTeC.

We are delighted to share that our TICTeC 2025 keynote speakers will be:


Register now

It is essential to register on Eventbrite in order to attend TICTeC 2025, whether that’s in person or online. In some cases, it is also possible to register directly with the organisers, please email tictec@mysociety.org to enquire.


Sponsorship

TICTeC is run by UK charity mySociety, for the public good and is a not-for-profit event. As a charity, we rely on sponsorship to run TICTeC events and initiatives, and we’re currently looking for more sponsors to make TICTeC the best it can be.

If you’re interested in joining the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) in supporting TICTeC 2025 and demonstrating your commitment to defending democracy around the world, we are offering a wide array of sponsorship opportunities, as well as bespoke packages. If you’d like more information about sponsorship options, please see our sponsorship guide, or email tictec@mysociety.org.


Supporters

We are very grateful to Porticus, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), Meet in Mechelen and Stad Mechelen for their generous support of TICTeC 2025.


Stay tuned

If you’d like to be kept informed of TICTeC 2025 updates as they happen – like when keynote speakers are announced and the programme is released – please sign up for updates or get in touch if you have any questions.

Image credits: Meet in Mechelen






A speaker at TICTeC 24

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
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
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 tech for the democratic good

Livestream available for registered online attendees only
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
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-Centraale + 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-Centraale + 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
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
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
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: Defending democracy, internet freedom and digital security
What digital security solutions [don’t] work for civil society organisations
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?
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
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

1:30 pm · Herten Aas / Livestreamed

OPTION 3: AI-powered deliberation: opportunities and risks

Livestream available for registered online attendees only
Speakers
Deliberation and AI are the hot topics in democratic innovation. But what are the practical examples of using this technology in a constructive way and how to mitigate the risks? Explore how AI agents can transform deliberative processes and governance, e.g. through more-than-human intelligences or by using AI avatars to represent groups.
See session detail

2:45 pm

Refreshment break

Where: Mechelen-Centraale + 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
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
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
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?
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

OPTION 3: 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

4:15 pm

Refreshment break

Where: Mechelen-Centraale + 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
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
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
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 4
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 5
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 6
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
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
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
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 reception

Where: A very historic Mechelen venue, to be announced soon!

7:45 pm

End of Day 1

11 June 2025

9:00 am

Arrival & refreshments

Where: Mechelen-Centraale + 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
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
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
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

10:45 am

Refreshment break

Where: Mechelen-Centraale + outdoor terrace, weather permitting (First floor)

11:15 am

11:15 am · Auditorium

OPTION 1: Democratic transparency and parliamentary monitoring
The impact of the Promise Tracker tool

Livestream available for registered online attendees only
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
'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
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

11:15 am · Dijlezaal

OPTION 2: Leveraging civic tech to track climate finance and curb corruption
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: Tech for deliberation and participation
Dream Con: how civic tech puts citizens at the centre of constitutional reform

Livestream available for registered online attendees only
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
Why consultation matters: the impact of 10 million voices

Livestream available for registered online attendees only
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
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)
See session detail

12:30 pm

Standing buffet lunch

Where: Mechelen-Centraale + 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
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
Providing cities with critical environmental data to unlock climate solutions
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
Using civic-tech to supercharge lobbying transparency

Livestream available for registered online attendees only
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
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
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

OPTION 3: Measuring the impact of Access to Information
Measuring the impacts of Access to Information portals

Livestream available for registered online attendees only
Speakers
A panel discussion to understand what impact use of FOI can have for media, legal reform and campaign work, and discuss how we can measure that impact.
See session detail
The importance of WhatDoTheyKnow.com for recent local activism in Bristol, UK

Livestream available for registered online attendees only
Experiences of how using access to information rights, and civic tech website WhatDoTheyKnow.com led to democratic changes in Bristol in the UK.
See session detail

2:45 pm

Refreshment break

Where: Mechelen-Centraale + 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
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
Changing the argument for using civic technology

Livestream available for registered online attendees only
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
Digital Mzansi: building South Africa’s democratic digital public infrastructure

Livestream available for registered online attendees only
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
Q&A for ‘Public-interest tech’ session (i.e. the above three presentations)

Livestream available for registered online attendees only
See session detail

3:00 pm · Dijlezaal

OPTION 2: Short workshops
3:00pm: Democratic innovation through AI in parliaments
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
3:40pm: Co-creating urban spaces in Mechelen using Extended Reality and innovative participatory design 
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

3:00 pm · Herten Aas

OPTION 3: Short workshops
3:00pm: Time for interoperability- how civic tech solutions integrate to engage citizens at scale
Speakers
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
3:40pm: Testing information literacy, and popular assumptions about how to tell if something is AI-generated
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

4:15 pm

Refreshment break

Where: Mechelen-Centraale + outdoor terrace, weather permitting (First floor)

4:30 pm

4:30 pm · Auditorium / Livestreamed

OPTION 1: The next twenty years of civic tech: mySociety, impacts & future plans

Livestream available for registered online attendees only
Join mySociety Programme Leads, and key mySociety partner Climate Emergency UK, to hear about recent and future projects to enhance transparency and strengthen democracy in the UK.
See session detail

4:30 pm · Dijlezaal

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

4:30 pm · Herten Aas

OPTION 3: Unconference session
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

5:05 pm

5:05 pm · Auditorium / Livestreamed

Final reflections on TICTeC 2025

Livestream available for registered online attendees only
See session detail

5:30 pm

End of Conference