Today, Wellington-based research and advocacy organisation, The Workshop, released its year-long study and report on Digital Threats to Democracy. I had the pleasure of working on this project over the past year with Marianne Elliott (The Workshop), Dr. Jess Berenston-Shaw (The Workshop), Dr. Leon Salter (Massey University) and Ella Brownlie (The Workshop). The 42-page report presents a significant literature review, stakeholder interviews and proposed solutions for countering some of the most prevalent threats to digital/social media and the impact these threats — which include fake news, hate speech, filter bubbles, amongst others — are having on our democracy.
The study argues for a cohesive, evidence-based approach to policy that accounts for structural and systemic issues as well as matters pertaining to online content. The full report can be accessed for free at: https://www.digitaldemocracy.nz/
This research was made possible by support from the New Zealand Law Foundation and the Luminate Group.
Kathleen M. Kuehn 