Unpacking Democracy: Protecting Human Rights in a Digital World

Social media is disrupting democracy, with misinformation and hate speech undermining trust in governments and civil society as well as helping polarise political debates. In response, many citizens are demanding more regulation, from data ownership rights to freedom from surveillance, and transparency over social media algorithms.

In such a scenario:

• What implications do social media and AI have for democracies and fundamental rights?
• How far do governments need to regulate social media companies and emerging technologies?
• How should democracies adapt to social media and AI?

Join us for a panel discussion with representatives from the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and some of the world’s biggest tech companies.

Welcome Remarks

• Dr Kevin Casas-Zamora, Secretary-General, International IDEA

Presentation

• Alberto Fernandez Gibaja, Senior Programme Officer, International IDEA

Panellists

• Carl Fredrik Wettermark, Coordinator for Cyber and Tech Affairs, Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Emilar Gandhi, Head of Inclusivity in Policy Development, Meta
• Sara Övreby, Public Policy and Government Relations Manager, Google
• Ginny Badanes, Senior Director, Democracy Forward, Microsoft

Q&A