Technology, Democracy and Elections

2024 is a mega election year with people across over 64 countries going to the polls. Tech companies have an important role to play in protecting the freedoms, rights, and safety of users during this 2024 global election cycle, including the right to free expression, non-discrimination, and access to information that is accurate and reliable.

Since the introduction of internet use in politics in 1996, technology’s impact on global elections has been significant. The 2016 U.S. election, marked by controversies like Cambridge Analytica's data manipulation, highlighted the dark side of technology in politics and similar threats exist worldwide.

Given our ongoing work on tech and human rights, the Investor Alliance has focused efforts this past year to discuss and address with investors the risks and impacts of technology on the elections - including the potential for viral misinformation, deepfakes, foreign influence, and political advertising and the importance of transparency and good governance by the tech companies that they are invested in.  

  • See our webinar from February 2024 on Disinformation, Deepfakes, Distrust: Tech Companies Responsibility in Restoring Election Integrity

  • See our guest Perspectives Blog in our March 2024 newsletter on Securing Big Tech Disclosures in 2024, the Year of Democracy , by Alexandra Pardal, Interim Co-Executive Director of Digital Action

  • Join our discussions during our tech and human rights working group calls with investors and digital rights groups like Access Now, Global Witness and Ekô on election disinformation during elections (see resources below)

  • Participate in our coordinated engagement by investors in collaboration with civil society allies like Digital Action and Ranking Digital Rights, with tech companies for greater transparency on global and country specific strategies, and the effectiveness of such strategies to protect people and elections throughout the elections megacycle 

Key resources: