Lesson video

Hello, my name is Mrs. Hastings.

Welcome to today's citizenship lesson, which comes from the unit "Can Digital Democracy Increase Political Participation?" Today's lesson is called "How Well Has Digital Democracy Worked in Other Countries?" We're gonna learn lots of new information today, some of which we will be able to apply to maybe some of our previous knowledge, and I look forward to taking you on today's learning journey.

Good luck.

So the outcome of today's lesson.

By the end of the lesson, you will be able to assess how well digital democracy has worked in other countries and consider whether we should use it in the UK.

The keywords for today's lesson are digital democracy: the use of digital tools and technology to increase participation in democratic processes, such as voting, debating, or sharing opinions online.

And cybersecurity: online protection against hackers and online threats, keeping devices and personal information safe.

There are three parts to our learning journey today.

The first learning cycle is: How does the UK currently use digital democracy? Secondly, how have other countries used digital democracy? And lastly, should the UK adopt these methods? So let's crack on with our first learning cycle: How does the UK currently use digital democracy? Digital democracy means using technology, like the internet, apps, or social media, to help people take part in politics and government.

It's designed to make it easier for more people to have their say and take part.

The UK uses digital democracy in many ways.

For example, online petitions, online consultations, some MPs use social media, and local council websites and online services.

Let's check our understanding of what we've learned so far.

So, Alex's statement contains two mistakes.

Can you find the mistakes and correct them? "Digital democracy means using manual methods to help people take part in politics and government.

It is a way to make it harder for everyone to have their say." So what are the two mistakes in Alex's statement? Find them and correct them.

So you should have corrected the following words: "Digital democracy means using technology to help people take part in politics and government.

It is a way to make it easier for everyone to have their say." So well done if you correctly identified and changed those two mistakes.

People can create and sign online petitions on the official Parliament website.

If 10,000 people sign, the government gives an official response.

And if 100,000 people sign, the petition may be debated in Parliament.

For example, in 2020, over one million people signed a petition asking the government to give free school meals to children during the holidays.

As a result, the government extended the programme.

The government and local councils often ask people for their views before making decisions through online consultations.

These are completed through online forms where anyone can share their thoughts.

For example, in 2021, the UK government ran an online consultation about banning single-use plastics.

Over 50,000 people responded, and their feedback helped shape new environmental laws on banning single-use plastic from October 2023.

So, a really good example of online consultations having an impact.

Many MPs use a range of social media platforms to connect with the public.

Constituents, that's people who live in the constituency of an MP, can ask questions to their MP, share their views, or see what their MP is working on.

For example, an MP might post a poll asking what their followers think about climate change laws or school policies.

Local council websites and online services.

Councils allow people to report problems like potholes or broken lights using websites and apps and give opinions on local planning.

Some councils also stream meetings online so you can watch from home.

For example, if your council plans to build a new skate park or close a library, they might ask for your opinion in an online survey.

So let's check our understanding of that.

What happens when a petition created on the Parliament website gets 100,000 signatures? A: the idea in the petition becomes law.

B: it may be debated in Parliament.

Or C: the petition is ignored and deleted.

It is, of course, B.

Well done if you correctly identified that it may be debated in Parliament.

And onto our first practise task of today's lesson.

Explain how the UK currently uses digital democracy.

Your answer should include three examples of the use of digital democracy in the UK and a short explanation of how these digital tools help people have their say or stay informed.

Pause the video whilst you complete this task.

Well done for completing that task.

So I asked you to explain how the UK currently uses digital democracy.

Your answer may have looked like this: The UK uses different digital tools to help people take part in democracy and have their say on important issues.

On the UK Parliament website, anyone can start or sign an e-petition.

If a petition gets 100,000 signatures, it may be debated in Parliament.

This gives people a simple way to raise awareness and push for change.

The government sometimes holds online consultations, asking the public for opinions on new laws or policies.

This means people can give their views from home before decisions are made.

Lastly, many MPs use social media platforms to talk to the public.

This allows people to ask questions, see what their MP is doing, and share their opinions quickly and easily.

Well done for completing that task.

So, onto the second learning cycle in today's lesson: how have other countries used digital democracy? Digital democracy is used differently around the world.

Two countries that have advanced their use of digital democracy are Estonia and Taiwan.

And we're gonna look at these two countries and see how they have used digital democracy as case studies.

So starting with Taiwan.

Taiwan is an island nation in East Asia with a population of approximately 23.

4 million people.

In 2014, the people of Taiwan took part in a series of protests to share their dissatisfaction with the lack of transparency of their government.

So they weren't confident that they knew exactly what the government was doing, and they wanted to view and see more about what the government was up to.

The protests lasted three weeks and included the occupation of the Taiwanese parliament by protest groups.

So really strong outpouring of anger about the lack of transparency.

The movement behind these protests became known as the Student Sunflower Movement.

This movement led to the creation of two key digital platforms for public participation: vTaiwan and Pol.

is.

vTaiwan is an online platform where citizens, experts, and government officials work together to discuss policies and issues.

For example, when Uber, so the taxi firm, first came to Taiwan, it didn't follow the same rules as traditional taxi services.

Through vTaiwan, the public, including Uber users, taxi drivers, experts, and officials, shared their views online.

It was decided that Uber could continue operating, but it had to follow new rules, registering as a taxi service, getting proper licences, and paying the same taxes as other drivers.

So that meant that they were on the same level as the taxi drivers who were already previously in Taiwan, they weren't getting any kind of special treatment.

Pol.

is is an online tool used to find out what people think about important issues.

It groups similar opinions and shows where people agree or disagree.

For example, in 2018, Taiwan used Pol.

is to gather opinions on same-sex marriage.

People voted on statements like: "Same-sex marriage should be allowed in Taiwan" or "Marriage should only be between a man and a woman." The tool helped the government understand public views.

As a result, Taiwan became the first country in Asia to legalise same-sex marriage in May 2019.

So let's check our understanding.

For each term, write a sentence explaining how they support digital democracy in Taiwan.

So for vTaiwan, you might have said: vTaiwan is a website where anyone can suggest ideas and give opinions.

And for Pol.

is, you might have said: Pol.

is is a tool to ask people what they think about an issue.

So well done if you correctly identified those in your sentences.

So what are the advantages of digital democracy in Taiwan? Well, it leads to increased participation, making it easier for people to share opinions.

Transparency and openness, as everyone can see the discussions and how decisions are made.

Faster decision-making, because the government can act quickly, because public views are clearer.

Fairer outcomes, as digital democracy helps find common ground by showing what most people agree on.

Collaboration with the public, experts, and government working together to find better solutions.

So some really positive advantages.

But what are the disadvantages of digital democracy in Taiwan? Access to digital tools and the skills to use them is not something that everyone has, so it leads to that digital divide.

Uneven participation can result in biassed outcomes if some people or groups do not take part.

For example, if more older people took part and less younger people, then it's obviously going to be skewed and swayed towards older people's opinions.

Online arguments can become unproductive and make it harder to reach conclusions.

And complex issues may need detailed discussions and careful consideration, with some topics being a bit too complicated for a quick vote or online poll.

Need a bit more nuance than that, needs a bit more consideration.

So let's check our understanding.

I'd like you to put a tick next to the advantages and a cross next to the disadvantages of digital democracy in Taiwan: A: it makes it easier for people to share their opinions and ideas.

B: some people or groups may not participate online.

C: some topics are too complicated for a quick vote or online poll.

Or D: it helps the government understand public opinions.

So which of those are the advantages and which are disadvantages? So A, it makes it easier for people to share their opinions and ideas, is an advantage.

B, some people or groups may not participate online, is a disadvantage.

C, some topics are too complicated for a quick vote or online poll, is also a disadvantage.

And D, it helps the government understand public opinion, is an advantage.

So well done if you correctly identified those.

Now moving on to Estonia as a case study.

So Estonia is a small country in Eastern Europe with a population of approximately 1.

3 million people.

It became independent from the Soviet Union in 1990 at the end of the Cold War and held its first democratic election in 1992.

In 2005, Estonia became the first country in the world to allow online voting in a national election.

So, e-voting.

In Estonia, this system is known as i-voting.

Secure login allows voters to use a national ID card, mobile ID, or a digital identity document with valid certificates and PIN codes to log in, so it's got quite a lot of security behind it.

Casting the vote involves selecting a preferred candidate from a list displayed on the screen after logging in.

Digital signature is used to confirm the choice by signing the vote with a unique PIN code.

Vote encryption ensures the privacy and security of the vote, so it still remains secret.

And vote confirmation allows voters to verify that their vote has been received correctly through a separate application on their smartphone.

So what are the advantages of i-voting in Estonia? Convenience, it means people can vote from anywhere with internet access, which particularly helps young people, those with additional needs, and those living abroad.

Higher turnout was seen in 2019 when almost 40% of voters used i-voting.

Quick and easy: voting takes just a few minutes using a digital device, as opposed to going to a ballot box.

People in Estonia can still go to a ballot box if they wish to do so, but they can also do it online.

Secure digital identity allows voters to verify their identity and reduces the risk of fraud.

Cost efficiency comes from reducing the need for physical polling stations and staff.

So there are fewer polling stations.

Even though they still do exist, you don't need as many of them if people are choosing to vote online.

And fast results.

It means that votes are counted quickly and results are announced sooner.

What are the disadvantages of i-voting in Estonia? Well, cybersecurity risks exist because online systems can be targeted by hackers or cyberattacks.

No system is completely or 100% safe.

Could be an increase in the digital divide or have a digital divide because some people without internet access may find it hard to access the system.

So if they don't have a smartphone or if they don't have internet at home, then they might need to find a different way to vote online.

And obviously, they can still do it by the ballot box.

A lack of transparency for some voters can lead to concerns about whether their vote really is private and accurately counted.

There are voter coercion risks arise when voting takes place in private settings rather than the ballot box, where people can oversee the process and someone could pressure a voter at home.

Dependence on technology means a technical issue or system failure could affect the election process.

So let's check our understanding of i-voting in Estonia.

Put a tick next to the advantages and a cross next to the disadvantages of i-voting in Estonia.

A: online systems can be targets for hackers or cyberattacks.

B: some older people or people without internet access may find it hard to use the system.

C: voters use a secure ID to verify their identity, reducing the risk of fraud.

D: voters can vote from anywhere with an internet connection.

So identify the advantages and disadvantages in that list.

So A, online systems can be targets for hackers or cyberattacks, is a disadvantage.

B, some older people or people without internet access may find it hard to use the system, is a disadvantage.

C, voters use a secure ID to verify their identity, reducing the risk of fraud, is an advantage.

D, voters can vote from anywhere with an internet connection, is also an advantage.

So well done if you correctly matched those.

So our practise task for the second learning cycle: For each example of an advantage of digital democracy in Taiwan or Estonia, write a matching disadvantage.

The advantages of vTaiwan in Taiwan are: increased participation makes it easier for people to share their opinions and ideas, and finding common ground helps the government understand public opinion and make fairer decisions.

And the advantages of i-voting in Estonia are: secure digital identity allows voters to use a secure ID to verify their identity, reducing the risk of fraud.

And time-saving means voting takes just a few minutes.

So for each example of an advantage, write a matching disadvantage.

Pause the video whilst you complete that task.

Well done for completing that task.

So for each example of an advantage of digital democracy in Taiwan and Estonia, write a matching disadvantage.

You may have written the following for the disadvantages for Taiwan: So the advantage was increased participation.

Disadvantage: not everyone has access to the internet, and some groups may not take part, which makes the results unfair.

And finding common ground is the second advantage.

Disadvantage to that is disagreements can sometimes become unproductive or heated, which can make it difficult to reach clear conclusions.

And for Estonia, you may have written the following for the disadvantages for Estonia.

The advantage: secure digital identity.

The disadvantage of that is that online systems can be targets for hackers or cyberattacks.

No system is 100% safe.

The advantage: time-saving.

The disadvantage of that is that if there is a technical issue or system failure, it could affect the election process.

So well done for completing that task.

Right, onto the final learning cycle for today's lesson: Should the UK adopt these methods that have been used in Estonia and Taiwan? So the UK is much larger than Estonia and Taiwan and has a population of nearly 70 million.

This raises significant challenges in terms of scale, inclusion, security, and coordination.

To successfully adopt similar digital democracy methods, it would require careful planning, large investments, and strong public trust.

What arguments are there that the UK should adopt digital democracy methods? Have a quick conversation with your learning partner about that question.

So what arguments are there that the UK should adopt digital democracy methods? So you may have come up with the following arguments: Resources and expertise in the UK include a strong economy, skilled professionals, and tech companies, which allow for investment in cybersecurity, public education, and user-friendly platforms. Impact of successful adoption could position the UK as a global leader in digital participation and set international standards.

Existing infrastructure such as GOV.

UK, online tax filing, and NHS tools provides a foundation for expanding digital democracy through e-voting and public consultations.

And other advantages could include tech-savvy population means a large portion of the UK is familiar with digital technology, which makes it easier to adopt online democratic tools.

And opportunities for local innovation come from the UK's many cities, councils, and regions, which could test digital democracy locally before scaling it nationally.

These pilot programmes would reduce risk and help improve the system gradually.

So I'd like you to match the advantage of adopting the digital democracy methods to the definition.

So A: more resources and expertise.

B: existing digital infrastructure.

And C: opportunities for local innovation.

And match them to: 1: the UK has strong foundations for more democratic functions.

2: smaller areas in the UK could test digital democracy locally.

And 3: the UK has a large economy, skilled professions, and technological companies.

So A matches to 3.

B matches to 1.

C matches to 2.

Well done if you correctly matched them.

So moving on to arguments that there are that the UK should not adopt digital democracy methods.

Pause the video whilst you discuss that with your learning partner.

What arguments are there that the UK should not adopt digital democracy methods? Okay, so you may have come up with: Population size means scaling secure and reliable systems for a larger population is more complex and costly than in smaller countries.

So Estonia had a population of about 1.

4 million.

We've got a population of 70 million.

That means that making i-voting in the UK would be much more complex.

Regional and social diversity makes it hard to create a one-size-fits-all approach due to different political systems, needs, and digital access across the UK's four nations.

Digital inequality risks excluding people and making participation unequal due to poor internet access and lower digital skills in some rural or low-income areas.

So that digital divide.

Other arguments against could include higher cybersecurity risks come from a national system, which could be a major target for hackers or misinformation, making it harder to keep participation secure.

The bureaucratic and legal complexity.

That means changing voting methods in the UK could involve a lengthy process due to stricter laws and a large government structure.

So I'd like you to match the disadvantage of adopting the digital democracy methods to the definition.

A: population is too large.

B: greater regional and social diversity.

C: digital inequalities.

Match them to: 1: many rural or low-income areas have poor internet access or fewer digital skills.

2: makes it harder and more expensive to scale secure and reliable digital systems. 3: UK's four nations have different political needs.

So A matches to 2.

B matches to 3.

And C matches to 1.

So well done if you correctly matched those.

So onto our final practise task for today's lesson and for this learning cycle.

Sandra is unsure whether the UK should adopt more digital democracy methods.

I'd like you to write a response that explains some of the possible benefits while also addressing her concerns.

Sandra says, "I'm worried about increasing digital democracy in the UK.

Surely it just opens up the opportunity for cyberattacks and spreading misinformation.

It also would not be fair for those who do not have access to digital and online technology.

They would not be able to easily participate in digital democracy." Pause the video whilst you complete this task.

Well done for completing that task.

So Sandra is unsure whether the UK should adopt more digital democracy methods.

I asked you to write a response that explains some of the possible benefits while also addressing her concerns.

You may have said the following: It is true that digital democracy comes with challenges like cybersecurity risks and digital inequality.

However, the UK has strong digital infrastructure and skilled professionals who could help reduce these risks.

Digital democracy could be used really well in the UK and could increase political participation.

Even though not everyone has the same access to digital tools, the UK already uses many online services like GOV.

UK and NHS digital tools.

These could be a starting point to make sure more people can take part fairly.

If done carefully, digital democracy could help more people get involved in political decisions.

That said it would need to be introduced gradually and in a way that includes everyone.

Really well done on completing today's lesson.

In summary, how well has digital democracy worked in other countries? The UK uses digital democracy tools like online petitions, consultations, and MP social media to make political participation easier and more accessible.

Digital democracy happens differently around the world.

For example, Taiwan and Estonia have advanced digital democracy with platforms like vTaiwan, Pol.

is, and i-voting.

These systems encourage participation and quicker decision-making, but face challenges such as digital access and cybersecurity risks.

Some argue the UK could benefit from adopting systems like those in Taiwan and Estonia, while others highlight challenges such as scale, cybersecurity, and digital access.

Careful consideration will be needed before any changes are made.

So thank you for joining me today, and I hope to see you again soon.