

Digital Authoritarianism And Strategies To Promote A Democratic Digital Future
13 snips May 2, 2025
Chris Walker, Vice President at the National Endowment for Democracy, discusses the urgent challenges posed by digital authoritarianism. Valentin Weber uncovers how China's data-centric technologies facilitate social control and global repression. Charles Mock delves into the complexities of monitoring these practices, emphasizing the need for democratic vigilance. Beth Curley highlights strategies for integrating democratic values into technology, advocating for accountability and privacy-preserving solutions to counteract authoritarian surveillance methods.
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China's Data-Centric Control Model
- China's data-centric authoritarianism uses data to centralize control and predict behavior in real-time.
- Emerging frontier technologies enhance this control by breaking encryption and accessing new types of data like thoughts.
China's Strategic Tech Standard Control
- China strategically controls international tech standards to embed surveillance capabilities and consolidate state power.
- It shifts technology governance from multi-stakeholder bodies to UN agencies to better influence outcomes.
Exporting Surveillance with Support
- Chinese surveillance technology is found globally, even in developing countries, often used with Chinese company support.
- China offers training and assistance enabling less capable states to implement sophisticated surveillance systems.