Digital literacy enables the use of digital tools and technologies that improve the provision of public sector services such as revenue collection; enhance the transparency and accountability of governments; and engage key stakeholders such as citizens, civil society organizations (CSOs), media, youth groups, or political parties in participatory, representative, and inclusive political processes. In this way, digital tools can strengthen democracy, improve good governance, and encourage civic participation—all core goals of USAID’s Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance (DRG) Center. However, in the current climate of profound geopolitical upheaval, digital harms like online mis- and disinformation, digital authoritarianism, and cyber attacks on civil society targets are threatening the core tenets of democracy. As governments, civil society, and the media move into the digital age, cultivating digital literacy among DRG stakeholders will help promote responsible digital citizenship and 21st century democratic values while minimizing digital harms that threaten these values globally.
Download this briefer to learn more about digital literacy in the context of democracy, human rights, and governance.
