Virtual Library

Our virtual library is an online repository of all of the reports, papers, and briefings that IST has produced, as well as works that have influenced our thinking.

Submit your Content

Fact Sheet

DOD and SBA Launch the Small Business Investment Company Critical Technology (SBICCT) Initiative

Strategic Balancing Initiative

viewpdf

Fact Sheet

White House Releases Outbound Investment Executive Order

Strategic Balancing Initiative

viewpdf

Reports

Strengthening Resilience in 21st Century Crisis Communications

Alexa Wehsener, Sylvia Mishra

viewpdf

Fact Sheet

DoD Releases the National Defense Science and Technology Strategy

Strategic Balancing Initiative

viewpdf

Reports

Mapping Threat Actor Behavior in the Ransomware Payment Ecosystem: A Mini-Pilot

Zoë Brammer

viewpdf

Reports

May 2023 Progress Report: Ransomware Task Force: Gaining Ground

Ransomware Task Force

viewpdf

Reports

Castles Built on Sand: Towards Securing the Open-Source Software Ecosystem

Zoë Brammer, Silas Cutler, Marc Rogers, Megan Stifel

viewpdf

Contribute to our Library!

We also welcome additional suggestions from readers, and will consider adding further resources as so much of our work has come through crowd-sourced collaboration already. If, for any chance you are an author whose work is listed here and you do not wish it to be listed in our repository, please, let us know.

SUBMIT CONTENT

Future Digital Threats to Democracy – Trends and Drivers

Vera Zakem, Alexa Wehsener, Nina M. Miller

SUMMARY

As the world has gone increasingly online, digitization has impacted democratic societies and governance structures. Demographic shifts, competing narratives, and technological growth have accelerated globalization, urbanization, wealth displacement, and unprecedented access to information. While this access has given people a voice, increased their freedom of expression, enabled coalition building, and dramatically expanded technological discovery, it has also given rise to digital threats that have impacted the fundamental security and stability of democratic institutions and citizens, including marginalized populations. Based on a comprehensive literature review and conversations with subject matter experts, we have identified nine trends that are likely to pose digital threats to democracy in the future.

This publication aims to identify and define nine driving trends at the intersection of digital systems and democracy. It is part of a broader joint project between the Institute for Security and Technology (IST) and the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) that examines Future Digital Threats to Democracy. A series of two-pagers examining the different trends can be found here.

download pdf