---
_id: '65776'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: This paper investigates the potential impacts of digitalisation on society
    and democratic governance through the construction of four realist science fiction
    scenarios. The study aims to delineate desirable and undesirable digital futures
    to inform policy discourse and strategic planning. It begins with the outlining
    of the research basis and methodology, where it employs a methodological synthesis
    of the Scenario Development Technique from the UN Strategic Foresight Guide and
    STEEP Analysis. This approach integrates a macro environmental assessment of socio-cultural,
    technological, economic, environmental, and political dimensions to identify key
    drivers of change and differences. These are then mapped onto a two-by-two matrix
    defined by two primary axes. This combination enabled the development of four
    scenarios examining the impact of digital technologies across these dimensions.
    The scenarios diverge along two axes. The vertical axis represents the mode of
    societal organisation and political power (authoritarianism versus democracy).
    The horizontal axis represents the mode of governance and citizen engagement (representation
    versus participation). By contrasting these divergent paths, this paper provides
    a critical framework for analysing how digital technologies intersect with political
    will and socioeconomic structures.
article_number: '49'
author:
- first_name: Christian
  full_name: Fuchs, Christian
  id: '21863'
  last_name: Fuchs
  orcid: 0000-0003-0589-4579
- first_name: Joel
  full_name: Museba, Joel
  last_name: Museba
- first_name: Kevin
  full_name: Friesch, Kevin
  last_name: Friesch
citation:
  ama: 'Fuchs C, Museba J, Friesch K. The Futures of Digital Democracy: Four Scenarios.
    <i>Open Research Europe</i>. 2026;6. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.12688/openreseurope.22910.2">10.12688/openreseurope.22910.2</a>'
  apa: 'Fuchs, C., Museba, J., &#38; Friesch, K. (2026). The Futures of Digital Democracy:
    Four Scenarios. <i>Open Research Europe</i>, <i>6</i>, Article 49. <a href="https://doi.org/10.12688/openreseurope.22910.2">https://doi.org/10.12688/openreseurope.22910.2</a>'
  bibtex: '@article{Fuchs_Museba_Friesch_2026, title={The Futures of Digital Democracy:
    Four Scenarios}, volume={6}, DOI={<a href="https://doi.org/10.12688/openreseurope.22910.2">10.12688/openreseurope.22910.2</a>},
    number={49}, journal={Open Research Europe}, publisher={F1000 Research Ltd}, author={Fuchs,
    Christian and Museba, Joel and Friesch, Kevin}, year={2026} }'
  chicago: 'Fuchs, Christian, Joel Museba, and Kevin Friesch. “The Futures of Digital
    Democracy: Four Scenarios.” <i>Open Research Europe</i> 6 (2026). <a href="https://doi.org/10.12688/openreseurope.22910.2">https://doi.org/10.12688/openreseurope.22910.2</a>.'
  ieee: 'C. Fuchs, J. Museba, and K. Friesch, “The Futures of Digital Democracy: Four
    Scenarios,” <i>Open Research Europe</i>, vol. 6, Art. no. 49, 2026, doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.12688/openreseurope.22910.2">10.12688/openreseurope.22910.2</a>.'
  mla: 'Fuchs, Christian, et al. “The Futures of Digital Democracy: Four Scenarios.”
    <i>Open Research Europe</i>, vol. 6, 49, F1000 Research Ltd, 2026, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.12688/openreseurope.22910.2">10.12688/openreseurope.22910.2</a>.'
  short: C. Fuchs, J. Museba, K. Friesch, Open Research Europe 6 (2026).
date_created: 2026-06-04T20:14:20Z
date_updated: 2026-06-04T20:17:42Z
department:
- _id: '136'
- _id: '11'
doi: 10.12688/openreseurope.22910.2
has_accepted_license: '1'
intvolume: '         6'
language:
- iso: eng
project:
- _id: '1397'
  name: INNOVAtive DEmocracy Through Digitalisation
publication: Open Research Europe
publication_identifier:
  issn:
  - 2732-5121
publication_status: published
publisher: F1000 Research Ltd
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: 'The Futures of Digital Democracy: Four Scenarios'
type: journal_article
user_id: '21863'
volume: 6
year: '2026'
...