The goal of the Digital Democracy Hub is to foster collaboration on strategic litigation holding Big Tech, governments and other relevant actors accountable for the technology-driven harms to democracy and human rights. Digital platforms have come to embody new forms of power over our societies — regulating speech, shaping political participation, and enabling governments to categorise, discriminate against, and monitor individuals and communities. The development and deployment of digital tools by both governments and BigTech to influence public participation are collectively undermining civic engagement, weakening democratic controls and institutions, and eroding the foundations of democratic accountability.

Human rights defenders are facing relentless attacks, and civic space has narrowed sharply in recent years. The rise of counter-democratic practices — such as the spread of hate speech and divisive disinformation, the proliferation of spyware, and the growing surveillance of activists, protesters, and human rights defenders — reflects persistent and deepening threats to democracy. These dynamics erode public trust, restrict human rights such as freedom of expression, and foster an environment of fear and manipulation. The need to hold powerful actors accountable has never been more pressing. In this context, strategic litigation remains a vital tool for defending human rights and resisting authoritarianism.

We expect to be able to accommodate, develop, and coordinate litigation efforts under this Digital Democracy Hub, addressing any, but not limited to, the following issues:

• Litigation countering content moderation practices, spreading disinformation and hate speech; 
• Litigation countering content moderation practices, manipulating election,s or influencing political participation and association; 
• Freedom of expression cases for censoring by governments and digital platforms
• Anti-discrimination litigation against the use of discriminatory technological tools by governments and platforms;
• Litigation countering spyware and government surveillance of protesters, activists, people on the move, journalists, and human rights defenders; 
• Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) cases against human rights defenders;
• Children’s rights litigation concerning the use of technological tools by digital platforms and governments that affect young people.

The Digital Democracy Hub is open to human rights defenders, activists, journalists, litigators, community organisers, technical experts, researchers, and other actors involved in strategic litigation efforts related to Digital Democracy.

Our primary focus is on the Council of Europe, but we are also open to participants working on these issues in Africa and Latin America.

Participation in the Digital Democracy Hub includes, but is not limited to, the following activities: 

• Monthly online meetings; 
• Topic-specific workshops; 
• Strategic litigation retreats; and 
• Inter-Hub Annual Meetups.