D3 Congress: Germany – Digital – Democratic

Digital participation processes and the various aspects of digital democratic participation are a wide-ranging and multifaceted topic; the contributions from over 100 speakers from universities, politics, business and local government at the D3 Congress on 22 and 23 November 2022.

Ten theses as a common thread

To kick off the programme and, in a sense, to provide a common thread for the event, Jörg Sommer, political scientist and director of the ‘Berlin Institute for Participation’, presented ten theses on digitalisation in democracy:

Democracy is becoming more digital – in all areas
Digitalisation is NOT democratisation
Nothing is improved by digitalisation
Digitalisation is a catalyst for shortcomings
Digitalisation is a disorganiser
Digitalisation makes democracy faster
Digitalisation makes democracy more permanent
Digitalisation makes democracy more subjective
Digitalisation makes democracy more transparent
Digitalisation makes democracy more diverse

Accordingly, digitalisation does not improve poor processes, but rather brings them into sharper focus. Nor does democracy become more democratic simply because it takes place digitally; it merely becomes faster and more transparent – for better or for worse.

Debates take place online in real time, ‘shitstorms’ need to be managed, and opinion polls deliver immediate results that must be processed and presented just as quickly.

Jörg Sommer, who has been working for more than 30 years as an expert and adviser to parliaments, ministries, foundations and associations, points out in this context that inertia has hitherto been a major strength of democracies: “Major shifts in direction have always been the result of protracted negotiation processes. Rapid shifts in direction create greater centrifugal forces at the periphery and deeper rifts at the centre. This is something we can clearly observe at present.”

Digitalisation across all areas of education, society and politics

The event covered a wide range of topics, from digital opportunities in schools and education, and the use of digital voting tools in citizens’ assemblies or political discourse, to the potential of virtual reality applications in urban development.

For example, digital participation platforms enable governments, public authorities and organisations to involve people in collective activities. Proposals for new projects, consultations on agreements, prioritising alternatives, planning public spaces, voting on the allocation of budgets, and many other possibilities could be mentioned here.

Best-practice examples of successful participatory processes highlighted that, for some city councils – such as those in Stuttgart or Mannheim – digital applications and platforms are already a key component of public consultations and participatory processes.

As a tool for visualising urban development projects, augmented reality opens up a wealth of possibilities. Citizens are ‘brought on board’ right from the start and can not only see what is being planned and what it is intended to look like, but they can also help shape the plans, make suggestions and vote. And all this is straightforward and quick, without having to visit the local authority’s offices.

Analogue is not dead

However, the value of analogue communication was also emphasised once again in the discussion, as not everyone is able to participate in digital services. People from migrant backgrounds who lack the necessary language or technical skills, people with disabilities, or older citizens who are not sufficiently tech-savvy must not be left behind in this digital transformation. It is important either to create appropriate educational programmes or not to lose sight of the need for analogue communication for those who still require it.

Conclusion

For us as communicators, the conference has made it clear that we must keep track of the digital possibilities and assess, on behalf of our clients, when and to what extent it makes sense to integrate digital tools. A combination of tried-and-tested, analogue events such as round-table discussions, supplemented by fast, versatile digital applications, can be a good solution. Particularly when illustrating complex planning processes in the infrastructure sector, the digital presentation of local conditions helps to foster a better understanding and, consequently, greater acceptance.