Democracy and technology

The Internet, cell phones and related technologies are profoundly affecting social, economic and political institutions worldwide, particularly in new and emerging democracies. In the hands of reformers and activists, these tools can overcome resource disparities and entrenched monopolies of power and voice.

Examples abound of uses of the Internet in the democratic context, from promoting citizen advocacy to increasing government transparency and accountability. Citizens, civil and non-governmental organizations, companies, civil servants, politicians, and large state and private-sector bureaucracies are employing technologies and the Internet to enhance communication, improve access to important information, and increase their efficiency, resulting in strengthened democratic processes and more effective governance. Encouraging and improving the use of such technologies in democratic development has thus become an imperative spanning a broad range of programming areas for NDI.

Increasingly, in response to the needs and requests of our partners, NDI has implemented a diverse range of programs with critical information and communications technology (ICT) components, targeting democratic institutions and/or supporting democrats in general. Everywhere NDI works, democracy practitioners and activists are using new technologies to improve access to information across borders and issue areas, and to enhance their efficiency and effectiveness.