“Rethinking Democratic Government” at NDI, April 25th 2019, (left to right) NDI President Derek Mitchell, Tawain's "Digital Minister" Audrey Tang and NDI Boardmember Robin Carnahan.
Today we will interview Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s “Digital Minister.” Named one of Foreign Policy’s 100 Global Thinkers in 2019, Minister Tang is an innovator who is rethinking how government can create open, citizen-centered policies in Taiwan through what she calls “radical transparency.”
For NDI President Derek Mitchell, observing the Tiananmen Square demonstrations in person 30 years ago was a turning point in his life. There was never a question that – in that moment, at that time, in that place – he was witnessing something historic, a revolution in action.
Looking back at the footage he captured with his video camera, Derek reflects on the students, and the spirit, of Tiananmen.
Social media and the Internet have had a drastic effect on the surprise results of yesterday’s election in the United States, driving the spread of information—and misinformation—at times bringing voters together and, perhaps more often, pushing them apart. As the spotlight shifts off of the U.S. in the aftermath of November 8, it’s important to recognize that this is not a uniquely American trend. More than half of Internet users now report using social media as a primary source of news, according to a study across 26 countries, and more than one quarter call it their main news source. In developing countries where reliable news sources are more limited, those numbers may be even higher. As reliance on social media and the Internet for news and information rises exponentially, political discourse is also rapidly moving online. A free and open Internet, where citizens can engage in fair dialogue and access accurate information, is thus critical to modern democracy and human rights.