06 August 2020 –  Once thought to be the great equalizer, technology is now being used to attack democracy itself. Troll farms, social media disinformation and cyberterrorism — all tools of the digital era — are used to spread an “infodemic” to weaken the validity of facts and democratic institutions. 

In MBC and KAS’ webinar on “Digital Democracy”, Taiwan Digital Minister Audrey Tang talks about how technology can enable good government and build trust, contrary to its recent record of disinformation and discord. 

The key, Audrey says, is to make sure democracy’s counterattack is Fast, Fair, and Fun: she openly responds to fake news within two hours and with a good dose of self-deprecating humor. With this strategy, Taiwan is able to beat back the relentless wave of fake news — no censorship necessary.  

More to follow on the Freedom and Democracy Series from Larry Diamond on 13 August, and Emily Lau on 18 August.