Subscribe to The Informer for monthly expert analysis, and to Events for advance notice of visiting world leaders and distinguished guests.
You may unsubscribe from Lowy Institute newsletters at any time. For information on our privacy practices and how to unsubscribe, see our Privacy Policy.
Research projects
Online disinformation, hate and extremism, tech-enabled foreign interference and regulation of the digital sphere
Once believed to hold the key to the expansion of global democracy, liberalism and a healthy civil society, the internet and digital technologies are now more often framed as threats to advanced and emerging democracies. Social media and other digital technology platforms appear to be contributing factors in global democratic decline.
The Digital Threats to Democracy Project examines threats across four key issues: online disinformation, online hate and extremism, tech-enabled foreign interference, and regulation of the digital sphere.
As democracies grow more dependent on digital technology, this Project seeks to better understand how vulnerabilities in current digital infrastructure are being exploited to undermine democratic governance — whether through their design, business models or usage by average citizens and bad actors alike.
The Digital Threats to Democracy Project is supported by the New South Wales Department of Premier and Cabinet.
Special Feature by Lydia Khalil, Peter Woodrow + 2 others
Examining extremism, terrorism, disinformation and threats to democracy across the security and international relations domains
