Technology Dissidents articles on Democracy Chronicles

This technology dissidents section covers individuals and groups using technology to advance democracy and the controversies surrounding this practice. Whistleblowers like Edward Snowden and Julian Assange will be covered here as well as technology and election experts like Harvard University's Lawrence Lessig. Also check out our entire section on Election Technology.

Hackers Get Green Light to Test U.S. Voting Systems

August 6, 2020 by DC Editors Leave a Comment

Hackers have traditionally been tracked. This time they have been solicited to test voting systems ahead of 2020 elections.

Julian Assange Is Gone! What Has He Done?

April 26, 2019 by Jack Jones 5 Comments

Julian has been arrested for reporting war crimes, while the criminals walk free. This is an outrage. Our democracy is upside down. We can’t allow our nation to continue down this path.

Case Against Julian Assange Raises Press Freedom Questions

April 15, 2019 by DC Editors Leave a Comment

Case against Julian Assange got newspaper editorial pages, political pundits and cable news analysts debating on the state of freedom of the press in U.S.

2 Mauritanian Political Bloggers Held for Defamation

April 4, 2019 by DC Editors Leave a Comment

Mauritanian authorities should free two bloggers arrested on March 22, 2019, and drop all charges related to their peaceful expression.

6 Vietnamese Political Activists Headed to Prison

March 23, 2019 by DC Editors Leave a Comment

Six Vietnamese activists and bloggers are facing long prison sentences for their peaceful opposition, Human Rights Watch said today.

Twitter Changes Boost Autocrats’ Digital Disinformation

Twitter Changes Boost Autocrats’ Digital Disinformation (4/27/2023) - Recent changes at Twitter have enabled authoritarian governments in Russia, China, and Iran to amplify propaganda and disinformation.

Rewards Get People To See Truth In Politically Unfavorable Info

Rewards Get People To See Truth In Politically Unfavorable Info (3/30/2023) - People don't carefully evaluate links for accuracy and that partisanship may be secondary to the rush of getting a lot…

Europe Needs Stronger Rules For Political Ads

Study: Media Can Reduce Polarization By Telling Personal Stories (1/26/2023) - Sharing personal experiences and pairing them with facts reduces political dehumanization and increases political tolerance.

Will Generative Artificial Intelligence Kill Democracy?

Will Generative Artificial Intelligence Kill Democracy? (1/20/2023) - Experts draw attention to the role played by social media in the violence committed by Bolsonaro supporters on Sunday in…

China Suspends Social Media Accounts Of Covid Policy Critics (1/12/2023) - China has closed the social media accounts of over 1000 critics of its COVID-19 policies as it brings back tough… Continue Reading

Saudi Blogger Raif Badawi Freed After 10 Years In Prison (3/13/2022) - The family of Raif Badawi, one of Saudi Arabia's most prominent political prisoners, has said the blogger is free after… Continue Reading

TikTok Is Just The Platform Russian Dissidents Need (3/10/2022) - Tiktok despite being swamped in misinformation at times, the app also serves as a platform for countering Kremlin propaganda. Continue Reading

Oman Arrests Prominent Internet Activist Al-Kathiri (3/7/2022) - Reliable local sources confirmed that on March 2, 2022, Oman's security authorities detained internet activist Ahmed Muslim Al-Kathiri. Continue Reading

Rewards Get People To See Truth In Politically Unfavorable Info

Rewards Get People To See Truth In Politically Unfavorable Info (3/30/2023) - People don't carefully evaluate links for accuracy and that partisanship may be secondary to the rush of getting a lot…

Study: 2020 Election Increased Alcohol Use And Decreased Sleep

Study: 2020 Election Increased Alcohol Use And Decreased Sleep (3/14/2023) - Many experienced reduced sleep quality, higher stress, negative emotions, and more alcohol during the 2020 election period.

A Police Stop Is Enough To Make Someone Less Likely To Vote

A Police Stop Is Enough To Make Someone Less Likely To Vote (2/8/2023) - New research shows how the communities that are most heavily policed are pushed away from... having a say in changing…

World’s Biggest Democracy Is Jettisoning Freedom And Tolerance

More Effort Is Needed To Open Election Data Globally (2/8/2023) - In more than 20 countries, voter turnout data is unavailable from official sources or the Election Management Body online.

Europe Needs Stronger Rules For Political Ads

Study: Media Can Reduce Polarization By Telling Personal Stories (1/26/2023) - Sharing personal experiences and pairing them with facts reduces political dehumanization and increases political tolerance.