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Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies - European University Institute

Digital authoritarianism: threats to democracy and human rights

A conference organised by the ‘Global initiative for the future of the Internet’ (GIFI) of the Robert Schuman Centre showcased the role of research in countering digital authoritarian practices and institutions.

02 November 2024 | Event - Research - Video

GIFI photo

On 28 and 29 October 2024, over 80 academics across disciplines, civil society and policymakers from across the world attended the EUI’s ‘Decrypting digital authoritarianism’ conference. Participants explored different strategies, techniques, regional and national case studies to investigate how actors (mis)use the Internet and how this threatens democracy and human rights. The conference helped document authoritarian practices globally, assess their implications on democracy and international security, and identify counterstrategies to safeguard digital rights. The event was organised by Professors Patryk Pawlak and Stephanie Hofmann.

Opening the conference, Vice-President of the European Commission, Věra Jourová, voiced concerns over the threats to open societies posed by the use of technologies that enable censorship, surveillance, and social control, particularly as artificial intelligence amplifies these risks. "This model of an open and free Internet that we cherish and defend is under threat," she stated, highlighting the EU’s commitment to preserving an open online space through initiatives such as the ‘Global initiative on the future of the Internet’ and the ‘Future internet tracker’ that the project is developing to monitor how core principles of an open Internet are upheld worldwide. Stressing the role of research in countering digital authoritarianism, Jourová added that research “is the foundation for effective response and pre-emptive action” and that there is a clear need to “foster cooperation across disciplines—technology, law, political science”. “A comprehensive approach is essential”, she said.

To connect the academic debate with concrete policy dilemmas faced by the local authorities implementing new technologies for their communities, the GIFI project organised in cooperation with the Metropolitan City of Florence a public roundtable on ‘A human at the centre: Smart Cities and the future of Digital Societies’ at Palazzo Medici Riccardi. The discussion focused on the key challenges, dilemmas and good practices that local communities and authorities face when translating the vision of open internet and human-centred digital transformation. In his opening remarks, EUI’s Secretary-General Marco Del Panta highlighted how the event was “a testimony of how much the Institute is trying to integrate with the town, breaking the image of the ivory tower.” He emphasised the role of technology as a key driver for transformation of our societies and welcomed the Schuman Centre’s work on this topic.

Looking back, the organisers shared their enthusiasm with the outcome of the conference. “Events like this one demonstrate clearly that digital authoritarianism is not a localised phenomenon in China, Russia or Iran. For the past 14 years, the wave of digital authoritarianism has spread on all continents – including Europe – and we need to do our outmost to stop it. This discussion at the EUI helped us to better understand this phenomenon and what can be done to counter it”, said Professor Pawlak. Professor Hofmann added that “Collaboration between scholars, policymakers, civil society and private sector is essential. Our goal was to bridge research across different fields, such as behavioural science, computer science, law, economics, and political science, building a more comprehensive understanding of digital authoritarianism. We also aimed at strengthening the network of experts in this field”.

The GIFI project is a two-year EU-funded multi-stakeholder project established to promote the Open Internet, the Declaration for the Future of the Internet (DFI) and support the implementation of its principles in a collaborative and rights-based approach.

Watch the full video address by Vice-President of the European Commission Věra Jourová.

Last update: 03 November 2024

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