97. How to fight fake news and strengthen democracy (Audrey Tang)
Sep 8, 2024
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Audrey Tang, the world's first digital minister, joins the conversation to explore how technology can enhance democracy rather than undermine it. Discover how Taiwan boosted public trust in politicians by 60% through innovative digital strategies. Tang shares insights into the transformative impact of tech on civic engagement, revealing how online tools foster open discussions and consensus. The discussion also highlights Taiwan's successful COVID-19 response and the importance of diverse perspectives in shaping a resilient democratic landscape.
Audrey Tang emphasizes the transformative power of technology in enhancing citizen engagement and fostering trust within democratic governance.
Taiwan's innovative digital response to the COVID-19 pandemic illustrates how proactive measures can effectively balance public health and economic activity.
Deep dives
Audrey Tang's Unique Background
Audrey Tang's childhood involved overcoming significant health challenges that shaped her early experiences and interests. Despite battling a serious medical condition that caused her to faint under strong emotions, she displayed remarkable intellect from a young age, mastering programming, mathematics, and classics. Her early exposure to programming fueled her entrepreneurial spirit, leading her to establish a programming business by the age of 15 after dropping out of school. This combination of personal resilience, intellectual curiosity, and innovative thinking laid the foundation for her later contributions to government and technology.
Revolutionizing Democracy with Technology
Audrey Tang played an instrumental role in transforming how the Taiwanese government interacts with its citizens through digital tools. By introducing virtual citizens’ assemblies and utilizing platforms like Polis, she fostered a more participatory approach to governance, allowing for real-time discussions and feedback on policy issues. The use of technology enabled broader engagement and consensus-building among citizens, which culminated in significant political movements, such as the 2014 Sunflower Student Movement. This innovative approach demonstrated a new model of democracy, showing that technology can successfully bridge communication gaps between the government and the populace.
Taiwan's Effective COVID Response
Taiwan's response to the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the effectiveness of Tang's digital initiatives in practice. Instead of imposing strict lockdowns, the government utilized an existing civil IoT system to provide real-time information about essential resources, such as mask availability, which was crucial during the early stages of the pandemic. Furthermore, community-driven contact tracing efforts preserved citizen privacy while ensuring public health safety. As a result of these measures, Taiwan managed to maintain low COVID death rates while continuing economic activities, showcasing the potential of a proactive and technology-infused governance model.
Building Trust and Social Innovation
In her role as Minister of Social Innovation, Audrey Tang focused on bridging gaps between citizens and the government to foster social trust. This involved opening dialogues that engaged vulnerable communities in policymaking, ensuring that those closest to social issues could share their insights. Through initiatives like the Presidential Hackathon, innovative ideas could be tested and potentially implemented as part of national infrastructure. The results have led to a significant increase in public trust, demonstrating that when governments actively seek and incorporate citizen input, a more responsive and inclusive political environment emerges.
Is technology destroying democracy, or can it be used to strengthen it? How did Taiwan improve public trust in politicians by 60%? Could the NHS be transformed by digital consultations for the better?
The world's first digital minister, Audrey Tang, joins Rory and Alastair to discuss all this and more.
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