Is Digital Democracy the answer?

Could  digital democracy  lead to greater political engagement and higher turnout?

• Voting on your mobile phone at your convenience would likely encourage more voting, but it would also mean that voting was no longer carried out in secret and so the possibility of voter manipulation would increase.

• Allegations of cyber-interference in Western elections by Russia indicates that electronic voting is more open to fraud than traditional voting.

•  The way in which politicians and activists use social media can encouragepopulist sloganeering rather than informed political discussion.

•  The standard of debate on social media indicates that activists and politicians can use this as much to bully as to engage in considered debate.

• The banning of President Trump from Twitter in 2021 also raises the important question of whether media companies should be allowed to determine who is allowed on their social platforms.

The Internet facilitates citizens in accessing and disseminating information about politicians while simultaneously providing politicians with insights from a broader citizen base. This collaborative approach to decision-making and problem-solving empowers citizens. It accelerates decision-making processes by politicians, thereby fostering a more efficient society. Gathering citizen feedback and perspectives is essential to a politician's role. The Internet functions as a conduit for effective engagement with a larger audience. Consequently, this enhanced communication with the public strengthens the capability and effectiveness of the American government as a democracy. 

The 2016 U.S. Presidential Election is an example of social media integration in political campaigns, where both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton actively utilized Twitter as a communication tool. These platforms allow candidates to shape public perceptions while also humanizing their personas, suggesting that political figures are as approachable and relatable as ordinary individuals. Through resources such as Google, the Internet enables every citizen to readily research political topics. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram encourage political engagement, allowing users to share their political views and connect with like-minded individuals.

Generation X's disillusionment with political processes, epitomized by large-scale public protests such as the U.K. miners' strike of 1984-1985 that appeared to fail, predated the widespread availability of information technology to individual citizens.There is a perception that e-democracy could address some of these concerns by offering a counter to the insularity, power concentration, and post-election accountability deficit often associated with traditional democratic processes organized primarily around political parties. Tom Watson, the Deputy Leader of the U.K. Labour Party, once stated:

It feels like the Labour frontbench is further away from our members than at any point in our history, and the digital revolution can help bring the party closer together … I'm going to ask our NEC to see whether we can have digital branches and digital delegates to the conference. Not replacing what we do but providing an alternative platform. It's a way of organizing for a different generation of people who do their politics differently, get their news differently.

Practical issues pertaining to e-democracy include managing the agenda while encouraging meaningful participation and fostering enlightened understanding. Furthermore, efforts are evaluated based on their ability to ensure voting equality and promote inclusivity. The success or failure of e-democracy largely depends on its capability to accurately delineate each issue's relevant costs and benefits, identify their likelihood and significance, and align votes with this analysis. In addition, all internet forums, including Wikipedia, must address cybersecurity and protect sensitive data