Last November saw the 8th edition of the World Forum for Democracy. Dedicated to information and democracy, this edition of the event was an opportunity to bring together decision-makers, campaigners and world citizens in order to debate the relationship between information and democracy, and to gain a better grasp of the challenges involved...
World Forum for Democracy 2019
Is democracy in danger in the information age?
Strasbourg, 6-8 November 2019
Today, these are complemented, rivalled and often eclipsed by websites, blogs and social media. Well-known outlets have been joined by a plethora of new sources – including millions of individuals – that spread news with the click of a share button.
The questions we must address in 2019 are to what extent the information is reliable, whether this helps or hinders citizens in taking part in democratic processes, and what lessons we should learn for ensuring the free flow of information in the future.
As E. Rosenbach and K. Mansted of Harvard University point out: "Democracy is built on the crucial compact that citizens will have access to reliable information and can use that information to participate in government, civic, and corporate decision-making.”