Design of an advanced platform for citizen participation committed to ensuring freedom of speech

Abstract

The expansion of new platforms of digital democracy does not necessarily entail an increase in citizen participation. The VOTESCRIPT group has made a sociological analysis to determine the causes of this apparent failure, reaching the conclusion that users are demanding capabilities that are not available in present systems. This paper presents a proposal for an advanced system of debate in an environment of digital democracy which overcomes the limitations of existing systems. We have been especially careful in applying security procedures in telematic systems, for they are to offer citizens the guarantees that society demands. New functional tools have been included to ensure user authentication and to permit anonymous participation where the system is unable to disclose or even to know the identity of system users. The platform prevents participation by non-entitled persons who do not belong to the authorized group from giving their opinion. Furthermore, this proposal allows for verifying the proper function of the system, free of tampering or fraud intended to alter the conclusions or outcomes of participation. All these tools guarantee important aspects of both a social and technical nature, most importantly: freedom of expression, equality and auditability.