NDI has been monitoring the dynamic online political environment in Moldova in the aftermath of Maia Sandu’s victory in the November 2020 presidential elections. President-elect Sandu campaigned on an explicit pro-EU and anti-corruption platform and has been a frequent target of hate speech and disinformation/misinformation attacks since her rise to political prominence several years ago.

Information has the potential to be a global threat to democracy that extends far beyond election results. Clear, accurate information is key to ensuring open and transparent governance. Manipulated information can lower public trust in a country’s governing and oversight institutions and in the media, making people more likely to seek out alternative, unverified sources of information. This damages democratic processes by impeding informed decision-making and political participation by citizens.

The implementation of the National Security Law (NSL) in June 2020 redesigned the political landscape in Hong Kong and significantly increased the risks associated with political activity. Under the NSL, Hong Kong citizens are losing the ability to exercise their freedom of speech and freedom to assembly. Beijing reduced the Hong Kong government’s autonomy by removing pro-democracy voices and facilitating a major overhaul of the electoral system.

Many of the programs at NDI explore how democracy can both thrive or weaken in the online space, as the internet grows to include all aspects of life, including political systems, society and culture. NDI has been working to develop tools, methodologies, networks and guidance for online election monitoring, civic technology, and a host of other subjects relating to social media and information integrity.