Has democracy been hacked?

Big Data and Civ Tech are new. New things can be scary. For many, the advent of big data and the impact on democracy is one such area. Human curiosity propels technology advancement, and yet uptake of technology is often hindered by fears born of the same imaginations.

Recently Carole Cadwalladr published an article in the Guardian outlining ways that data companies may be undermining democracy. The involvement of data firms Aggregate IQ and Cambridge Analytica in major elections raises many questions. Should innovative tech companies be allowed to impact elections? What is the proper role of Big Data and CivTech in democratic society? Is there room for such technology in modern governance? This blog post will focus on the last question.

Is there room for new technology in modern governance?

In short, yes.

CivTech start ups can enhance democracy by driving voter participation and showing politicians what their constituents really think. One such start up, Represent.me, uses data to get the apathetic engaged in politics. Represent.me were recently covered by the Times for their innovative work aligning people with their elected representatives.

Represent.me are precisely the type of CivTech company that people need to see. One that helps the government and the people to trust one another and work together.

Represent.me have launched a candidate service and are building a page on general election issues.

You can hear them speak at our first CivTech Forum event: Working on the Public Service Monopoly.

Published by Rachael Corson

Rachael was born in London into a global family. She holds an LLB hons as well as an MSc. Rachael co-founded ethical hair care company, Afrocenchix Ltd whilst completing her Law degree. Her awareness of ethical issues and interest in sustainability and Fair-trade are values that carry across into Afrocenchix. She hopes to help Civ Tech startups to make governments more ethical and sustainable. View all posts by Rachael Corson