Digital governance is the newest and most rapidly evolving challenge for international institutions, with cyberspace increasingly important and AI development outpacing regulatory frameworks. As digital technologies fundamentally reshape economic, social and political relationships, there is urgent need for governance approaches that balance innovation with human rights, security with openness, and national sovereignty with global coordination. This webinar explores how civil society can influence the development of digital governance frameworks that embed democratic values and protect human rights.
The panelists include:
- Federica Marconi, Istituto Affari Internazionali
- Wade Hoxtell, Global Public Policy Institute
- Matteo Bursi, Istituto Affari Internazionali
- Nadia Tjahja, Brussels School of Governance
- Esther Meester, European Center for Not-for-Profit Law
Moderator: Andrew Firmin, CIVICUS
Key Questions for Discussion
- Fragmentation and governance coordination: How can coherent approaches to digital governance be developed across the complex landscape of regulatory institutions and frameworks?
- AI governance and democratic values: What approaches can ensure that emerging AI governance frameworks prioritise human rights, transparency, and accountability alongside innovation and economic competition?
- National versus global regulatory approaches: How can international digital governance standards be developed while accommodating diverse national approaches to AI and digital regulation?
- From cyberspace to AI governance: How do the consensus-building challenges identified in cyberspace regulation inform approaches to the more complex challenge of AI governance?
- EU digital leadership: How can the EU’s regulatory influence in digital markets be leveraged to promote more democratic and rights-based approaches to global digital governance?
- Civil society digital rights advocacy: What strategies can digital rights organisations employ to effectively influence the rapidly evolving landscape of digital governance institutions and standards?
About the ENSURED Webinars
In Conversation with Civil Society is a year-long webinar series exploring how global governance institutions can become more effective, robust, and democratic. Each session brings together ENSURED researchers, policymakers and civil society leaders to discuss practical reform pathways across seven key policy areas. Through a conversational format, the series connects ENSURED’s research with the experience of civil society actors, identifying political opportunities for institutional change and highlighting where advocacy can have the greatest impact — especially across fragmented governance landscapes and persistent North–South divides.
The webinar series is coordinated and facilitated by CIVICUS.
Photo: Chris Yang / Unsplash
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