Former CTA president says Democracy challenged by autocrats
DHARAMSALA, 23 May: Former CTA President Dr Lobsang Sangay has said that the world faces a grave challenge from the autocrats as he says technology is being used to harm and in fact prevent and harm democracy by them.
“The challenge before the world is very real, all the autocrats want to use technology to control the whole narrative and communication, so this is a dangerous trend and we have to be careful,” Dr Lobsang Sangay said while speaking on the future of liberal democracy and the role of technology at the 7th India Ideas Conclave, organised by think tank India Foundation.
Speaking on the Chinese Communist regime, he said that China follows 100 and 0 strategy or policy as far as Tibet is concerned and China in general in terms of the flow of information.
“They will share 100 per cent of the information with the outside world, but they will let only zero per cent of the information from the outside world come in,” he said.
Citing an example, he said that the Chinese Global Television Network (CGTN), the international English-language Chinese state-run cable TV news service has more Facebook subscribers than the BBC, CNN and Al Jazeera combined together.
“They(China) are using social media technology to share the 100 per cent of their information with the world but they will allow 0 per cent inside.”
He also said that Putin used the technology to control the narrative of the Ukraine war to the Russians.
“As a Tibetan myself, who suffered a lot during and after the Chinese occupation of Tibet, I find it a bit unacceptable,” he said over Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Even though Russia might have security concerns about NATO, but to inflict so much pain and destruction upon Ukrainians with utter disregard for humanity and morality is unbearable.”
Additionally, he added that democracy is on the decline. Citing the US-based watchdog group Freedom House, he added that democracy has been declining in the world for 16 consecutive years.
India Foundation hosted the 7th edition of its annual India Ideas Conclave – IIC 2022 from 20-22, May 2022. Keeping with the pace of technological advancements in the world, the theme of the conclave has been titled “India 2.0: Rebooting to Meta Era” where India’s senior leaders, public intellectuals, industrial leaders, policymakers, tech gurus and academics amongst many others.
