Switzerland is among the most advanced democracies in the world. It is also one of the world’s leading democracies in terms of direct democracy. The democracy system in Switzerland is also supported by major technological advancements but there still very little information on the impact of digitization on democracy in the country. This information is from Swiss Info. Here is an excerpt:

TA SwissExternal link, an independent advisory body for technology assessment, which published the findings on Tuesday, said non-digital features should always complement digital processes and that everyone must have access to control mechanisms for fact-checking information.

“To survive, a democracy must keep pace with societal change, and an open discussion about how and why this is the case forms part of the democratic process itself. (…) The consequences of digital technologies should therefore undergo regular monitoring and the population should be included in the ongoing debate on digitisation processes in democracy,” TA Swiss said.

The studies were carried out by the GfS Bern research instituteExternal link along with the umbrella organisation of youth parliamentsExternal link and a think tank for digital transformationExternal link, with the results identifying the ambivalent role of social and digital media in democratic processes.

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