Session
Organizer 1: Sienna Byrne, self
Organizer 2: Alexandra Frank, Princeton University
Speaker 1: Florian Marcus, Private Sector, Eastern European Group
Speaker 2: Asha D. Abinallah
Speaker 3: Noha Ashraf Abdel Baky
Speaker 4: Dr.Adel Abdel-Sadek
Speaker 5: PeiChin Tay
Sienna Byrne, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Alexandra Frank, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Sienna Byrne, Civil Society, Western European and Others Group (WEOG)
Roundtable
Duration (minutes): 60
Format description: A 60 minute roundtable is the best-suited format for this workshop because we aim to facilitate dialogue among the workshop participants and speakers at planned intervals so a seating layout where all can directly interact is preferable. 60 minutes is an appropriate amount of time for this workshop because we will delve into the topic of citizen participation in digital governance from the multiple perspectives represented by our speakers - technical expertise in the field of cybersecurity, social science research in digital participation, and humanitarian views on strengthening human rights through citizen participation in digital systems of governance - which renders 30 minute too short. 90 minutes may be too long to keep an engaging pace of conversation for speakers and participants without venturing too far into more technical avenues requiring extensive prior knowledge on the part of participants.
1. How can we most effectively create channels for citizen participation in the design of e-government systems while still addressing security concerns? 2. What form should citizen participation in e-government take beyond the simple use of e-government systems? 3. How might citizens be included as stakeholders in the design of e-government systems to address human rights concerns surrounding the collection and processing of citizen data? 4. How might e-government systems be designed to address the needs of vulnerable members of the population and what are the existing best practices in this regard?
What will participants gain from attending this session? This workshop equips participants with a multi-faceted understanding of innovative approaches to citizen participation in the design and implementation of digital governance architectures and current best practices. The interdisciplinary design of this panel - including speakers from the social sciences, cybersecurity and technology sector, and human rights domain - provides a holistic understanding of the various opportunities and concerns that accompany citizen participation in digital governance. After attending this session, participants will possess a keen understanding of how many disparate factors, from specific technological innovations, to legal provisions, to social outreach campaigns, can contribute to digital governance systems that succeed in fostering citizen participation. During the workshop participants will compare and apply the concepts learned to the real case studies of digital governance systems currently operating in Estonia and Zurich, Switzerland, which will contribute to a nuanced understanding of how the theoretical concepts discussed may be translated into practical use.
Description:
As more states around the globe seek to implement digital governance initiatives, citizens may have the opportunity to act as more than mere users of digital governance systems - instead, participating actively in their design and maintenance. Bringing together technical experts, social science researchers in the field of digital governance, and experts in the field of human rights in a digital context, this workshop will facilitate discussion on the role of citizens as stakeholders in digitally governed societies. Critical topics addressed during this workshop will include the balance of security and transparency in the collection and use of citizen data, current pilot projects to include citizens in the planning and execution of digital governance systems and the varying success of such projects, and the ways in which digital governance systems may be designed to include the input of traditionally marginalized communities and thus bridge the current gaps in public service delivery to these groups, among others. Throughout this workshop, there will be numerous opportunities for participants to contribute to the vibrant roundtable conversation exploring both the various challenges and opportunities that accompany direct citizen participation in shaping digital governance.
The first four chapters of the thesis work attached to this proposal submission entitled "Tracing the Development of Estonia’s Government Digitization from the Soviet Era to Present, and its Transformative Effect on Estonian Society" will be submitted (in its entirety) for publication this year, which will serve as an output directly related to this workshop content. Upon approval of this proposal, a website will be established for this workshop that provides participants with additional pre-read materials related to the topic of citizen participation in digital governance structures that will help to generate deeper conversation both before, during, and after this year’s IGF. In the weeks leading up to this workshop, the confirmed speakers listed in this application will generate publicity for this workshop through coordinated campaigns on social media and other professional channels.
Hybrid Format: At planned intervals speakers will open up conversation to all participants, as which point a facilitator will ensure that equal time is provided to in-person as virtual participants to share their thoughts and pose questions to the speakers and the general group. The 60 minute workshop will take the form of a dialogue between experts on e-government with varying professional backgrounds, from social science to cybersecurity, and virtual participants will have the option to leave their cameras on during the Zoom and have their screens reflected on a panel in the physical conference room to enable speakers and in-person participants to view them while they share any thoughts or pose questions to speakers.