of the first D3CON Direct Digital Democracy Congress
POLITICAL-DIGITAL MANIFESTO
Abril de 2021
To all who want to build a better democracy that works by and for the people:
200 people from 20 countries met on February 24th and 25th, 2021 in order to participate in the first D3CON International Congress on Direct Digital Democracy, organized by the “Liderar con Sentido Comun Foundation”. For two days, we deliberated, accompanied by experts, on the risks and opportunities that current technological tools offer to improve political life and that affect the principle of representation on which Electoral Democracy is based.
In a context in which the pandemic augurs extremely harsh economic and social conditions, both the achievements and the great limitations in democratic forms of government and in technological-digital systems have been evidenced. In this sense, it has become clear that the gaps that already existed in our societies have deepened and worsened.
Democracy has an incalculable value as an open regime of freedoms, pluralism and openness; but it is trapped in the hands of a partisan autocracy isolated from the everyday people´s world and confiscated by a governmental despotism. The result: a privileged minority in front of a great majority that lives abandoned, without democratic values, immersed in a deep individualism under the slogan of “Every Man for Himself”.
Despite the fact that digital technologies have conferred great benefits on communication, information and participation, the digital world is no stranger to the problems that afflict democracy, and not only has it not met the original expectations raised to speed up the power of the Demos, of the people, but is gradually moving away from those. We detected a series of serious problems: important biases in the design of the algorithms, which produce harmful dynamics such as the invasion of privacy (omni tracking), social isolation due to group blindness (bubble filter), misinformation due to disordered supra-information or selection skewed. There is also concern about the use of collected data (Big Data) in an inconsistent or unclear way, either to monetize it in various ways or to optimize automation algorithms (learning machines). We have been surprised by the opaque link between military and business interests, both aimed at technological-digital innovation, but which install manipulative military logic within the citizenry, or transfer State responsibilities to private hands.
These problems of a technological nature produce perverse effects on democratic life: citizens find themselves isolated and confronted by the slightest trifle; misinformation and fake news reign; the exercise of freedom and public deliberation becomes more difficult every day and a kind of political balkanization is installed. A new elite formed by programmers is being stratified, who are subject only to the control of those who hire them pursuing profit or defending the interests of the National Security guardians, in the midst of a historical-technological struggle between the two titans. of the XXI century, China and the USA. The result, again: a controlling minority of a large controlled (and uncontrolled) majority.
Two scenarios are possible. Either the confusion and paralysis of the rulers and citizens continue while Deliberative Democracy is reduced to the exchange of likes and tweets as if they were pheromones of worker ants and Participatory Democracy is transformed into a "Social Credit System" similar to the one existing in China today. Or we generate a powerful innovative impulse in order to bring together the two universes, the democratic and the technological-digital, for the common good of all.
The “Liderar con Sentido Común Foundation”, as well as signatory speakers and attendees of D3CON, have declared ourselves to walk an innovative path and, for this purpose, we have made the following proposals around seven topics. We invite you to read them and join this manifesto on which the new democracy must be based:
First. Expansion of Internet Access and New Technologies and Digital Literacy
Although young people today dominate the digital field, access to the internet and new technologies, as well as digital literacy must be declared universal human rights. Digital literacy not only has to reach political elites but also the general public, taking into account the needs and capacities of each person.
Second. Humanization of Technology
The human values contained in culture, ethics, art, humanities and democratic systems are seriously lagging due to the irruption and consolidation of the digital world. We must find ways for both - the world of the humanities with its values, and the digital world - to catch up, since current technological devices are increasingly requiring a mass of values that give them framework and direction in order to reach a Direct Digital Democracy, which supposes a high degree of reliability, solidarity and truthfulness.
Third. Regulation of Digital Regulators without loss of freedoms
A New Digital Oligarchy should not be configured whose financial-technological powers are outside of democratic controls. It is urgent to find ways to strengthen the relevant regulatory frameworks, as the European Union is already trying to do. Likewise, the intervention of international organizations such as the UN would be recommended; and even a kind of Global Entity with full moral authority, apart from the large technological firms that can co-order a digital world that collaborates in the realization of the Common Good of the planetary citizen.
Fourth. Democratic-Digital Transition
Direct Digital Democracy was presented as a desirable horizon, but distant due to the multiple gaps we face and the disparity between countries. Several criteria are proposed to go along the way:
- Use of new technologies, including blockchain technology, to increase efficiency and transparency in the operation of government agencies and public decision-making.
- Use of new technologies for the full implementation of the Open State principles, namely: greater transparency, participation and collaboration in the executive, legislative and judicial branches. These include the establishment of open public data portals and collaborative platforms for joint decision-making between citizens, government, the private sector, and civil society.
- Use of new technologies, especially blockchain technology, smart contracts and decentralized autonomous organizations, in order to increase the decentralization of power, inclusion and the empowerment of citizens in public life. It is necessary to progressively implement small local pilots that incorporate, among others, digital voting systems, civil and property registries with blockchain technology, self-sovereign identities, execution of public contracts and budgets through smart contracts, decision-making platforms through liquid or direct democracy schemes.
Fifth. Responsibility and citizen participation
It is necessary to awaken the citizens so that they are no longer politically confined as spectators of the actions carried out by their representatives or Big Tech agents. It is necessary to make known the causes for which to work. Digital tools can and should help us educate, create citizenship and make cities flourish for everyone.
Sixth. Dialogue and Encounter
The Digital World and the Democratic World must engage in a genuine and deep dialogue, especially regarding the algorithmization of platforms, the use of Artificial Intelligence and data monetization. This dialogue should take place between political agents, Big Tech private agents and Civil Society agents (from academia to civil and religious organizations). It is of the first order to break the antipathies and apathy notably among the political elites; but also to break down the resistance between the big Big Tech platforms.
Seventh. Use digital tools with common sense
During our conference we pointed out a battery of digital tools (such as the use of blockchain technology and smart contracts for the creation of CriptoArt, self-sovereign identities, decentralized autonomous organizations, etc.) that are essential to achieve the objective of optimizing our democratic systems. Only in this way will we advance on the path that allows us to cross from a merely Electoral-Representative Democracy to a Deliberative and Participatory Democracy, an indispensable condition to face the challenges of the new world that increasingly move from the local to the global (and vice versa).
Finally, from the Liderar con Sentido Común Foundation, we appeal to all those who want to build a global society, in which democratic life addresses the enormous risks and takes in their hands the great opportunities that the digital world has launched, in order to build a better world for our children.
It is our responsibility and, therefore, we invite you to join us by supporting this manifesto with your signature.
Supporting signatures.
- Santiago Siri, fundador de Democracy Earth.
- Sofía Cossar, investigadora de Democracy Earth Foundation (DEF).
- Bernardo Ávalos, Consejero y miembro del equipo SOLA.
- Antonio Sola, Presidente Fundación Liderar con Sentido Común.
- Miguel Molina, director Fundación Liderar con Sentido Común.
- Begoña Fernández, directora comunicación Fundación Liderar con Sentido Común.
- Ignacio Gómez, director área Internacional Fundación Liderar con Sentido Común.
- Agustina López, directora Observatorio Fundación Liderar con Sentido Común.
- Alberto Castillo, director de procesos creativos del Equipo SOLA.
- Yazmin Manjarrez, Equipo SOLA.
- Soledad Waisman, Equipo SOLA.
- Xavier Zaguirre, Equipo SOLA.
- Marcelo López, investigador social, asesor de estrategia y comunicación.
- Nancy Franco, Peace2world Foundation
- Hector Olague, Meraki Generando Realidades
- Dalila Said, Movimiento Puede, Patria Unida En Democracia
- Daniel Villamar Tandari, Asamblea De Jóvenes Por La Sostenibilidad
- María Zarabia, Fundación Rence Ecuador
- Olga Esther Saporitti, Lapachodigital
- Nancy Franco, Peace2world Foundation
- Joel Paulino, Red Latinoamericana De Consultores, Capitulo Dominicano
- Liliana Mazzone, Calma Consultora
- Kellys Ortiz, Ongel
- Ramiro Rodriguez Sauceda, Erre Y Erre
- Oswaldo José Rodríguez Bellorín, Partido Político Voluntad Popular Activistas
- Jean David Charles, Croissance International Consulting
- Mauricio Cuellar, Disruptiva Consultora De Comunicación
- Consultoriss Tecnimerk Consultorías
- Moisés Castellanos, Corporación Colmena
- Alexis Coronel Roche, Politólogo
- Wandy Ramírez Wrv & Co. Int'l Strategy Group
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ORGANIZATION
Alejandro Casola
Esteban Rodríguez
Francisco Sola Ortigosa
Victoria Rdoriguez-blanco
Emilio José Borrega Romero
Herennia Trillo Navarro
Rafael Ayala
Sofía Clara Soto
Beltrán Gómez Vela
Laura Negrete
María Celina Guzman
Alejandro Paas
Javier Acosta Vigo
Tomás Alberto Castillo González
María Elena Beza Robles
Jorge Raul Martinez
Juan Carlos Núñez Armas
Cristóbal Garrido
Papo Santana
Agustin Valdes Mar
Hector Olague
Hector Olague
Leonardo Urrea
Flora Marrero Ramos
Francisco Archila
Jose Juan Martinez Castillo
Roberto Arceo Trujillo
Sergio Armando Serna Estrada
Teresa Alvarez Morán
Luis Lehmann
Luz Beltrán
Ligner Fernandez
Ernesto Aguilar
Dalila Said
Gemma Esteve-gonzalez
Rosa Isela García Pantoja
Sheila Ríos
Daniel Villamar
Julio Angel Cuello Guevaras
Antonio Robles
Veronica Villa Beltran
Ivet Chango
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Sylvana Durango Osorio
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María Zarabia
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