As the June 2024 European Parliament elections approach, it is imperative for European democracy to set up a robust defence mechanism against election interference and AI-powered disinformation campaigns. Make.org, in collaboration with a diverse task force of civil society organisations, introduces the Democratic Shield initiative – a comprehensive set of ten cross-society actions aimed at safeguarding the security and integrity of the upcoming elections.

The democratic processes in Europe face unprecedented threats from malicious influences and the sophisticated use of artificial intelligence and algorithms to spread disinformation. Immediate action is essential to protect the integrity of the democratic system and ensure the forthcoming European elections are conducted freely and fairly.

Based on a strong coalition

The Democratic Shield initiative is the result of collaboration among various civil society organisations specialising in democracy and technology. The task force responsible for its development has ensured a multi-disciplinary approach, reflecting the complex challenges posed by contemporary threats to democracy.

Key Dimensions of Protective Initiatives

The Shield asks for action in three different dimensions:

• addressing institutional actors (European Council Agenda, Reinforcement of quiet period, Promotion of citizen consensus debate),
  
  
• calling for stakeholder pledges (Political parties’, media and large influencers’ codes of conduct) and for
  
  
• civil society action (Improve civil society resilience to attacks, Trusted Flaggers Support, AI Generated Content Detector, Reference Hub of Candidates’ Voices).

The way forward

The Shield was first publicly discussed on December 13, when Democracy Technologies published a respective op-ed. It was co-signed by a diverse group of democracy and AI experts, this op-ed further elaborates on the key points outlined in the Democratic Shield initiative, providing a platform for the public dissemination of these crucial ideas. On that basis, the Shield was shared with relevant decision makers on European and national level.

Moving forward, the Democratic Shield task force will continue to engage with the broader public to put the respective issues on the agenda. The instinctive is a timely and comprehensive response to the pressing threats faced by democracy in the digital age. With the European Parliament elections looming, the urgency to implement these ten actions cannot be overstated. It is a collective effort, a Shield forged by civil society, to protect the very essence of democratic governance.

👉 Find out the Democratic Shield and its ten cross-society actions aimed at safeguarding the security and integrity of the upcoming elections.

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The Task force of the Democratic Shield: Make.org, EU Desinfo Lab, Science Po, RSF - Reporters without borders, New Digital Deal, Mozilla.AI, France Digital, Telecom Paris, Sopra Steria, ACTE - Association Civic Tech Europe, CEE Digital Democracy Watch.