LIVING LAB #5 Envisioning Future Digital Democracy based on social and technological trends
As digital technologies continue to reshape democratic processes, public authorities are increasingly faced with new opportunities and challenges in designing inclusive, trustworthy, and resilient forms of digital democracy. Technological developments, evolving social expectations, and changing governance environments all influence how digital participation and decision-making tools can be developed and used in practice.
Within this context, INNOVADE Living Lab #5 will bring together project partners and experts for a collaborative exchange on the future of digital democracy. The event will provide a space to reflect on the key conditions, risks, and opportunities related to the design and use of digital democracy applications, particularly from the perspective of public authorities.
The Living Lab aims to explore pathways towards a flourishing digital democracy by examining the social, technological, and governance conditions needed for public authorities to adopt and use digital democracy applications effectively, responsibly, and sustainably.
The event will combine expert inputs, interactive discussions, and scenario-based group work. Participants will engage with selected future-oriented scenarios related to the design and use of digital democracy applications by local governments.
Through these scenarios, participants will discuss practical questions such as:
- What institutional, technical, and societal conditions are needed for digital democracy to function well?
- What are the main risks, trade-offs, and vulnerabilities?
- How can public authorities ensure trust, inclusion, accountability, and resilience?
A red teaming approach will also be integrated into the discussions to challenge assumptions, test proposed solutions, and identify possible weaknesses or unintended consequences.
Participants
The event will bring together INNOVADE partners and external experts, including researchers, policymakers, practitioners both from public entities and civil society working on democracy, governance, technology, and public innovation.
Agenda
| Time | Session | Speakers |
|---|---|---|
| 09:00-09:30 | Registration - Welcome Coffee | |
| 09:30-09:45 | Welcome Programme Introduction | Laurien Coenen (KUL) Fatih Yilmaz (BtH) |
| 09:45-10:00 | Ice-breaker activity | |
FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGICAL TRENDS | ||
| 10:00-11:00 | PANEL 1: Technological Trends in governance of Digital Democracy 15’ Infrastructure & Access: digital ID, authentication, core systems 15’ Compliance Framework and Rights: data protection, digital & social rights 10’ Reflection (The design of the Digital Democracy) 10’ Reflection (Hybrid participation) 10’ Q&A | Moderated by Joseph Vural (HC) Luca Ceselli (ICTLC) Gianluca Sgueo (SciencesPo - Ecole d'Affaires Publiques) Jorgos Coenen (Citizen Dialog Kit) |
| 11:00-11:15 | Coffee break | |
| 11:15-12:45 | Workshop 1: Applying Technological Trends to Digital Democracy Platforms Governance of the new actual features of the digital democracy app will be played and tested in pre-defined scenarios in line with the new technological trends. Red teaming methodology will be used to challenge assumptions of public administrations. | Facilitated by BtH |
| 12:45-14:00 | Lunch | STUKcafé |
FOCUS ON SOCIAL TRENDS OF DIGITAL DEMOCRACY | ||
| 14:15-15:15 | PANEL 2: Social Trends in governance of Digital Democracy 10’ Introduction to Governance Structures, Cooperation & Communication – ownership, participation framing & trust 30’ Can social media influence our elections? 10’ Tokenism in digital democracy 10’ Q&A | Moderated by Christian Fuchs (UPB) Laurien Coenen (KU Leuven) Brahim Zarouali (KU Leuven - Institute of Media Studies) Hanno Scholtz (University of Zurich, Civil Democracy) |
| 15:15-15:30 | Coffee break | |
| 15:30-17:00 | Workshop 2: Governance requirements for Digital Democracy Applications Building on the pre-defined scenario exercise conducted in workshop 1, we now explore governance requirements to implement them in practice. A Q-sorting exercise will be conducted to prioritise governance requirements, concerns and needs. | Facilitated by KUL |
| 17:00-17:15 | Day 1 wrap up and concluding remarks | BtH, KUL |