Brett Solomon, Meabh

30 Mar 2023

Here are three areas that need special support from governments, international organizations, and business leaders if they wish to truly defend democracy.

  • Don’t shut down the internet
  • Stop targeting civil society online
  • Don’t abuse digital regulations to curtail human rights

Civil society is sometimes called a foundational building block of democracy, but it is also the last line of defense before a descent into the abyss of authoritarianism. We should be recognized and supported as such. Democracy dies without room for participation, dissent, and debate – and in the digital age, governments must protect civic space and civil society online, as much as in the streets, column inches, or halls of power.