Digital technologies increasingly shape how we communicate, organize, and engage in political action. Yet key digital infrastructures such as platforms, cloud systems, and AI tools are often controlled by a small number of private actors who can exert far-reaching influence over society without democratic oversight.
The INFRADEM project explores how digital infrastructures can be redesigned to strengthen democracy. It brings together an interdisciplinary consortium from the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Germany to investigate how cloud computing, AI systems, satellite internet, and social media can be transformed into infrastructures that support democratic transformation.
The project aims to develop concrete alternatives and design visions for democratic digital infrastructures, participatory formats, and self-governance models that enable meaningful citizen and user participation. In addition, it will produce actionable policy recommendations.
CeMAS contributes to the project primarily through its expertise in data science and political science. For example, it will collect and analyze data from social media platforms such as Telegram, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, conduct network analyses, and collaborate with project partners to examine how democratic principles can be embedded in digital infrastructures.
