Digital Governance Platform Connects 50 Million Citizens Globally
Technology-enabled democratic engagement reaches milestone as citizens participate in policy discussions across borders.
Crossing the 50 Million Threshold
The Citizen Assembly Network (CAN), the world's largest digital governance platform, has reached a historic milestone: 50 million registered users across 89 countries. The platform enables citizens to participate in policy deliberations, vote on proposals, and collaborate on legislation.
How It Works
CAN operates on a three-layer model:
- Local assemblies: Citizens discuss issues affecting their communities
- National forums: Proposals that gain traction locally can be elevated to national-level deliberation
- Global commons: Issues with cross-border implications are debated in multilingual forums with real-time translation
The Technology Stack
Built on open-source infrastructure, the platform emphasizes accessibility and transparency:
- Real-time translation in 47 languages using AI models
- Verified identity through government ID integration (privacy-preserving, zero-knowledge proofs)
- Deliberation tools including structured debate, ranked-choice polling, and collaborative document editing
- Accessibility features including screen reader support, simplified language modes, and offline participation via SMS
Impact by the Numbers
Since its launch three years ago, the platform has facilitated:
- 12,400 local policy proposals, of which 2,100 have been adopted by municipal governments
- 340 national-level deliberations resulting in 28 legislative changes
- 15 cross-border initiatives addressing climate, migration, and digital rights
- Average session time: 22 minutes, suggesting genuine engagement rather than superficial interaction
Case Studies
Brazil: CAN was used to crowdsource amendments to the national digital rights bill. Over 200,000 citizens contributed, resulting in stronger data protection provisions.
Kenya: Rural communities used the SMS-based participation mode to weigh in on water resource management policies, leading to more equitable allocation.
European Union: The platform hosted a cross-border deliberation on AI regulation that informed the EU AI Act revision.
Challenges and Criticisms
The platform faces ongoing challenges:
- Digital divide: Despite SMS integration, significant portions of the global population lack internet access
- Representation: Urban, educated users are overrepresented
- Government adoption: While some governments actively use CAN outputs, many treat citizen input as advisory only
- Moderation: Scaling content moderation across 47 languages remains resource-intensive
The Road Ahead
The CAN foundation has announced plans to integrate with three additional national e-governance systems by year's end and is piloting a blockchain-based voting module for binding local referendums.
The platform's growth suggests that citizens worldwide have an appetite for meaningful democratic participation, and technology can deliver it at scale.