A GroenLinkse vision of the digital society

A GroenLinkse vision of the digital society

‘GroenLinkse vision of the digital society' is the manifesto of the DWARS Privacy & Technology Committee to GroenLinks wake up to the need for digital policies beyond privacy.

In fact, we have noticed that GroenLinks is not very vocal about digital issues. Both on its website, within the party itself and externally in the media. With this manifesto, we want to wake up GroenLinks and urge it to make itself heard more on these issues.

We are going to do this by stirring up the conversation about digitisation within GroenLinks with the ten points from our manifesto. We also ask you to help us do this: share the manifesto and raise the impact of digitisation within your department, working group or political group.

  • Ask your questions and share your ideas with us via digitalesamenleving@dwars.org

The manifesto

The digitisation of society is a fact. Nowhere can digital technology be ignored. That is why DWARS's Privacy & Technology Committee argues that it is important for GroenLinks to also speak out clearly on this issue.

We would like to join DWARS and GroenLinks in working for an accessible, honest and responsible digital society. Both externally and within the party itself. In order to shape active and better policies.

Since applied technology is not neutral, our norms and values must be chiselled into our technologies. Thus, we want to work for a social, green and liberal society even in the digital century.

To achieve this, we set the following goals:

  1. If we have software developed with public money, then this software becomes completely free and public. Public money, public code!
  2. We are building a digital government accessible to all. For all ages, socio-economic status, any ability and any origin. Digitalisation must not lead to inequality or segregation.
  3. We only let European companies build our vital digital and network infrastructure. This way, we can protect citizens' rights and boost the local economy.
  4. Sustainability is becoming an integral part of technology. Electronics will be supported for longer and the ecological impact of digital technology will be minimised.
  5. We provide education on digital technology in primary schools. Secondary school students also receive digital citizenship classes, preparing everyone for the digital society.
  6. We have systems that make automatic decisions tested for integrity, discrimination and bias before, during and after development. People should not bear the brunt of faulty data or bad algorithms.
  7. We provide a well-secured digital government. Businesses are helped and required to do the same.
  8. We advocate software that supports rather than dictates. If you get stuck in a form, you should be able to reach a solution with a human. "The computer says no" is no excuse.
  9. We make sure everyone reaps the benefits of new technologies. That way, everyone has to work less.
  10. We need to make sure that social media serves the social interest rather than driving us apart and misleading us.

What can you contribute to the manifesto?

First of all, you can share the manifesto with fellow GroenLinksers, fellow DWARSers, friends and acquaintances. In addition, you can discuss it in your department, working group or political group: how does digitalisation affect the issues you are working on?

Want to help, think along or have a question? If so, please email digitalesamenleving@dwars.org!