To face these challenges, several measures need to be ensured from an interdependent and global perspective, notably:
As regards electoral democracy:
A. Criminalise cyber-attacks against the confidentiality, integrity and availability of election computers and data in pursuance of the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime:
B. Provide the criminal justice authorities with the necessary powers to secure electronic evidence of violations of rules on protection of personal data, on political finances, on media coverage or on the broadcasting of election;
C. Prepare national Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs) for emergency situations and have in place crisis management organization; EMBs should be provided with adequate resources and training to adopt digital technologies and address the related cybersecurity risks;
As regards deliberative democracy:
D. Recognise (1) the transnational nature of the problem and (2) the essential role played by the internet intermediaries (i.e. internet service providers, and search-engine and social media companies);
E. Strengthen the international framework (1) to establish more efficient mechanisms of transnational cooperation among nations and private actors, and, if possible, (2) to procure a greater uniformity among national legislations;
F. Work on a regulatory and adjudicatory model based on the co-responsibility of private and public actors, and on multiple regulatory and conflict-resolution approaches. Such model might include at least four strategies, all of them able to constantly adapt to the ever-changing environment of the internet and communication technologies:
- Promote further research and cooperation among electoral authorities, academics and practitioners in order to assess the real impact of digital technologies on electoral processes and the efficiency of the adopted measures;
- Foster education to strengthen legal and democratic culture among citizens;
- Promote self-regulation, like the mandatory adoption of ethics and corporate social responsibility codes, among internet service providers, and search-engine and social media companies; and
- provide remedial mechanisms in laws, policies and alternate conflict resolution mechanisms.