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When digital democracy disappears, so does the power of the people

August 23, 2025

The 2025 Synthesis Report on the Digital Democracy Ecosystem by CIVICUS reveals how digital civic spaces are rapidly shrinking worldwide through government surveillance, internet shutdowns, censorship, and biased algorithms. Examining six global regions from East Asia to Sub-Saharan Africa, the report documents how these tactics disproportionately silence youth movements, feminist networks, Indigenous groups, journalists, and grassroots organizers, particularly in the Global South. Despite highlighting some positive examples like Taiwan's civic-tech innovations and persistent activism through platforms like WhatsApp and TikTok, the report emphasizes that digital repression is outpacing digital resilience as power increasingly favors governments and tech platforms over grassroots civic movements.

Who is affected

  • Youth movements, feminist networks, Indigenous groups, journalists, and grassroots organizers
  • Civil society actors, particularly in the Global South
  • Marginalized communities in rural areas with poor infrastructure
  • Women and minorities targeted by algorithmic and legal harassment
  • Activists in countries with repressive governments (Myanmar, China, India, Nicaragua, Venezuela, etc.)
  • Communities in conflict zones (Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Ukraine)
  • Grassroots and youth-led collectives excluded from funding systems

What action is being taken

  • Civil society continues operating in digital spaces despite risks, using encrypted chats and DIY security trainings
  • Grassroots tech projects are being developed as alternatives to mainstream platforms
  • Youth-led movements like #EndSARS, #MyDressMyChoice, and #ZimProtests2024 are using digital platforms to transform local struggles into global demands
  • Community radio in Nepal is bringing excluded voices into public discourse
  • Digital literacy efforts in Sri Lanka are building resilience despite underinvestment
  • Tools like Ushahidi and open data portals in Ghana and Nigeria are providing civic tech solutions
  • In Ukraine, digital platforms are being used to document war crimes, coordinate aid, and preserve collective memory

Why it matters

  • The erosion of digital civic space threatens democratic participation and the ability of people to shape their futures
  • When digital democracy disappears, communities lose access to power, rights, and visibility
  • Digital repression disproportionately impacts already marginalized communities
  • The current system favors powerful entities (governments, platforms, private actors) over grassroots movements
  • Civil society's ability to mobilize citizens is crucial for democracy but is being systematically undermined
  • Digital spaces that were once tools for liberation are becoming sites of repression
  • Without digital civic space, history, memory, resistance, and democratic possibilities are at risk of being lost

What's next

  • The Synthesis Report urges funders to shift from novelty-focused initiatives to sustained, equitable investment in people working in digital democracy
  • The report calls for true platform accountability that moves beyond public relations toward power-sharing and community governance
  • The report suggests supporting translators, digital security responders, community technologists, policy advocates, and movement builders

Read full article from source: Global Voices

When digital democracy disappears, so does the power of the people