To address these issues, the Democracy and Internet Governance Initiative (DIGI) was launched in August 2021 as a collaborative effort between Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, and Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.

DIGI’s first phase was co-chaired by Nancy Gibbs, Professor of Practice of Press, Politics and Public Policy, the Director of the Shorenstein Center, and former Editor-in-Chief of TIME, and the late Ash Carter, HKS Professor of Technology and Global Affairs, the former Director of the Belfer Center, and former U.S. Secretary of Defense.   

In July 2023, DIGI published the report, “Towards Digital Platforms and Public Purpose”, the culmination of research and findings from the first two years of the initiative. It promotes a new risk-centered approach to analyze and address the negative impacts of digital platforms. This approach is crystallized by proposing key dimensions that should be considered when assessing platform risk. The report also provides a clear ‘call-to-action’ to private sector actors and civil society to develop comprehensive industry standards and disclosure schemes. Ultimately, it aims to contribute to a more informed, cross-sector, and proactive approach to platform governance.

Moving forward, DIGI will assess governance practices, regulatory frameworks, and research priorities for government, industry, and civil society to mitigate risks and protect democracy.

In 2023 and 2024, DIGI’s research team, based at the Shorenstein Center, is producing a series of case studies and hosting convenings on mitigating online harms.