Digital Democracy: Moving Beyond 'Big Tech' to Save Open Societies with Audrey Tang

Digital Democracy: Moving Beyond 'Big Tech' to Save Open Societies with Audrey Tang

As the world is increasingly shaped by the dominance of 'Big Tech' – including the race for Artificial Intelligence – the outsized impact on our democratic and information systems has left many with fears and confusion about the path forward. But what if we could use technology as a tool that helps preserve the values of democracy and increases civic engagement, rather than eroding them? Furthermore, what sorts of people, projects, and policies are already paving the way?

Today Nate is joined by Taiwanese Digital Ambassador at large, Audrey Tang, to explore real-world examples of how technology is being leveraged globally to address – and in some cases reverse – critical societal challenges, such as polarization, misinformation, and the erosion of trust in governments and institutions.Tang emphasizes the importance of digital democracy, civic engagement, and incentivizing care in our policy making decisions to create a better experience and world for all humans.

Is it possible to use social media as a tool that unifies citizens across polarized societies? How could technology be used to amplify the voices of citizens and influence policy making with human and planetary well-being in mind? And finally, even as technological corporations continue to consolidate power, what options are available to individuals who want to engage with technology in new and empowering ways?

(Conversation recorded on March 4th, 2025)

About Audrey Tang:

Audrey Tang is Taiwan's Cyber Ambassador-at-large and was the first Digital Minister of Taiwan. Audrey is celebrated for their pioneering efforts in digital freedom. Named one of TIME's "100 Most Influential People in AI" in 2023, Tang was instrumental in shaping Taiwan's internationally acclaimed COVID-19 response and in safeguarding the 2024 presidential and legislative elections from foreign cyber interference. Audrey is now focused on broadening their vision of Plurality — technology for collaborative diversity — to inspire global audiences.

Show Notes and More

Watch this video episode on YouTube

Want to learn the broad overview of The Great Simplification in 30 minutes? Watch our Animated Movie.

---

Support The Institute for the Study of Energy and Our Future

Join our Substack newsletter

Join our Discord channel and connect with other listeners

Jaksot(374)

Iran, U.S., and the Rest: The Unavoidable Pig in the Python | Frankly 133

Iran, U.S., and the Rest: The Unavoidable Pig in the Python | Frankly 133

In this episode, Nate offers a personal reflection on the unfolding geopolitical tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, beginning with an examination of how disruptions to fossil fuel flows propag...

27 Maalis 12min

Ending the AI Arms Race: Why Safer Futures Are Still Possible & What You Can Do to Help with Tristan Harris

Ending the AI Arms Race: Why Safer Futures Are Still Possible & What You Can Do to Help with Tristan Harris

The conversation around artificial intelligence has been captured by two competing narratives – techno-abundance or civilizational collapse – both of which sidestep the question of who this technology...

25 Maalis 1h 50min

What to Do as the World Falls Apart: A Framework for Action | Frankly 132

What to Do as the World Falls Apart: A Framework for Action | Frankly 132

This week's Frankly marks a turning point in the work of The Great Simplification. Having spent twenty years articulating the more-than-human predicament, Nate shifts from diagnosis to direction as cu...

20 Maalis 53min

The Plastic Detox: Reducing Endocrine Disruptors for Better Fertility and Human Health with Shanna Swan & Sian Sutherland | RR 23

The Plastic Detox: Reducing Endocrine Disruptors for Better Fertility and Human Health with Shanna Swan & Sian Sutherland | RR 23

The number of couples struggling to become pregnant due to unexplained infertility is growing at an alarming rate across the globe. Alongside this concerning rise is the growing awareness of how endoc...

18 Maalis 1h 19min

Uncomfortable Questions in Unsettled Times: Iran Effects, Local Preparedness, and End of Empire?

Uncomfortable Questions in Unsettled Times: Iran Effects, Local Preparedness, and End of Empire?

This week's Frankly marks the second installment of Nate's recurring series, Uncomfortable Questions in Unsettled Times, where he poses questions about our shared future. While the first edition posed...

13 Maalis 14min

Questioning Human Exceptionalism: How Rethinking Our Place in the Web of Life Could Change Our Global Crises with Christine Webb

Questioning Human Exceptionalism: How Rethinking Our Place in the Web of Life Could Change Our Global Crises with Christine Webb

Nearly every mainstream conversation about humanity's future, our current global crises, and our place in the natural world shares one common theme: the quiet, unquestioned assumption that humans are ...

11 Maalis 1h 18min

Wide Boundary News: The Iranian War, Rising Gas Prices, and the Single Point Failure | Frankly 130

Wide Boundary News: The Iranian War, Rising Gas Prices, and the Single Point Failure | Frankly 130

This week's Frankly is another edition of Nate's Wide Boundary News series, where he invites listeners to view the constant churn of headlines through a wider-boundary lens. In this installment, Nate ...

10 Maalis 27min

A Guide to Staying Human (Part 1): Desperately Seeking Agency | Frankly 129

A Guide to Staying Human (Part 1): Desperately Seeking Agency | Frankly 129

In this week's Frankly, Nate begins a new series called "Staying Human," which focuses on what he sees as a precondition for everything else: recovering a sense of personal agency. He opens against th...

6 Maalis 26min

Suosittua kategoriassa Tiede

tiedekulma-podcast
rss-mita-tulisi-tietaa
rss-poliisin-mieli
rss-metsantuntijat-podcast
filocast-filosofian-perusteet
rss-duodecim-lehti
mielipaivakirja
rss-astetta-parempi-elama-podcast
rss-tiedetta-vai-tarinaa
rss-luontopodi-samuel-glassar-tutkii-luonnon-ihmeita
university-of-eastern-finland
utelias-mieli
docemilia
menologeja-tutkimusmatka-vaihdevuosiin
rss-bios-podcast
rss-ranskaa-raakana
rss-ylistys-elaimille
rss-lapsuuden-rakentajat-podcast
rss-lihavuudesta-podcast
rss-sosiopodi