NEW REPORT | The Struggle Against Authoritarian Influence in the Western Balkans: Montenegro as a Test Case Vanja Ćalović Marković, Executive Director of NVOMANS, explores how Montenegro has become an ideal testing ground for authoritarian actors. 🧵 buff.ly/3A7Qg1x

"It is clear that AI will shape the political world we inhabit, however, there remain many questions around how democratic norms and institutions will shape the trajectory of AI." buff.ly/47eeQZJ

#TBT 20 years ago World Movement hosted its 3rd Global Assembly in Durban, to celebrate 10 years of democracy in #SouthAfrica. This year, at the #WM12Assembly we'll celebrate South Africa's democratic progress while uniting efforts to build a more democratic future.

Foreign-agent laws are especially dangerous in the hands of antidemocratic regimes, which use them to suppress criticism and stifle civil society, primarily NGOs and independent media. buff.ly/4dUOzTU

"Information manipulation is intended to undermine the concept of knowable truth and a shared reality, damaging societal trust and attacking the foundations of democratic systems," something which is only made easier with Generative AI tools. buff.ly/45tgvei

Kleptocracy is a leading cause of underdevelopment, human rights abuses, and war on the African continent, particularly in Central Africa. buff.ly/43TZ985

AI's societal impact “will depend on how well democratic mechanisms are working to uphold government transparency, support deliberation, and engage affected communities in decision making." buff.ly/47eeQZJ

Glenn Tiffert notes the CCP “mobilizes surrogates to ostracize, intimidate, surround and silence the activists”…trying to “isolate, bury and extinguish” others “so that it alone monopolizes the field”-for a wider angle on this, see Tiffert in Journal of Democracy journalofdemocracy.org/articles/the-a…

Are you a mid-career professional with substantial experience working to advance democracy and human rights? The Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program is now accepting applications for fellowships in 2025–2026. The deadline to apply is November 1, 2024! ned.org/fellowships

"Gen AI can accelerate the efforts of research organizations to spot information manipulation online by helping to identify the behaviors, narratives, and tactics authoritarian state actors use." buff.ly/45tgvei

AI uses and AI harms are often difficult to see. "Moreover, too much emphasis on the 'black box' nature of AI systems may close off discussion on those elements we can scrutinize." buff.ly/47eeQZJ

Without firm democratic guardrails, smart cities can undermine privacy, erode good governance norms, and amplify the influence of authoritarian actors such as the People’s Republic of China. buff.ly/3jfzPb0

ICYMI: The Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellows Program is now accepting applications for its 2025–2026 fellowship cycle. To learn more and apply, visit: ned.org/fellowships

From 10 years ago: “the Kremlin is focused on poisoning minds…RT operates under the direction of unchecked authoritarian political power and…should not be understood as a news outlet, but instead seen for what it is: a weaponized media instrument” themoscowtimes.com/archive/russia…

"As Washington and Beijing engage more and more in geopolitical competition, we should not lose sight of the passionate longing for freedom that people in China still hold. We should support their aspirations at every opportunity." Me testifying Senate Foreign Relations Committee: foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/…

This year's theme for the #internationaldayofdemocracy2024 is #AI! 🤖 Read these essays to understand why expert political scientists are concerned with the impact of AI on democracy (a thread 🧵👇) 1/8

We celebrate Ukraine’s independence and rally in solidarity with its continued freedom - with Oksana Markarova & Secretary Pete Buttigieg #InternationalDayofDemocracy