June: digitalisation, networks and labour

Ransomware, a malicious software that blocks access to data is the spook behind acyber-attack that spread this month from Ukraine across Europe to the US.

While cyberattacks become the news of the day in our interconnected digital world, on another news front in June, online search engine giant Google is facing serious penalties for denying users in the EU “a genuine choice of services and the full benefits of innovation.”

At question here are antitrust rules, but more importantly fundamental rights in the digitalised world, equal share of the new technologies and access to technological innovation. These values are at the heart of the debate about digitalisation, democracy and social justice that Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and partners pledge for in their work on just digital transformation.

Democracy, freedom, justice and solidarity – the fundamental values of social democracy – must build the fundament of a digital society, called the organizers of #digidemos, a flagship congress by FES that took place on 20 June where the values of social democracy served as the departure point to discuss the effects of digitalisation on politics and society.

At FES Connect, we ask you, our readers, how can we shape digital democracy and democratic digitalisation for the good of everyone? We look forward to your responses via Twitter @FESNewsbrief or email!

As prompts we offer you ourJune issue that brings discussions on digitalisation and its effect on the future of work, agriculture and fundamental rights and freedoms in the digital network. 

In the meantime, get ready for our July issue on global governance and the work by FES, partners and supporters of social democracy on the priority topics of the upcoming G20 summit hosted by Germany!

Read on and engage!

Your FES Connect Editorial Team