Democracy in the Digital Age: Mexico and the U.S. Compete to Lead Online Civic Engagement

For decades, citizen participation in government decision-making has been hindered by bureaucratic processes, low civic literacy, and limited accessibility. However, the rise of digital platforms is beginning to transform that narrative on both sides of the border. In 2025, Mexico and the United States are facing a pivotal moment: civic technology is no longer a promise for the future, but a present and essential tool for a more agile, inclusive, and effective democracy.

In 2024, there was a significant increase in the development and implementation of digital platforms focused on civic engagement. In Mexico, according to INEGI and the National Electoral Institute (INE), 38% of municipalities began implementing digital mechanisms for public consultation, participatory budgeting, or citizen reporting systems. This represents a 12% increase compared to 2023. States like Jalisco, Mexico City, Nuevo León, and Yucatán are leading in the adoption of these tools, integrating citizen portals that allow residents to vote on public works, report service failures, or propose initiatives directly from their mobile phones. In the United States, progress has been more robust but also more uneven. A joint study by the Pew Research Center and Stanford University found that in 2024, 64% of cities with over 100,000 residents were using digital platforms for participatory budgeting, community surveys, or virtual deliberation, while in rural areas that figure barely reached 27%.

Successful examples abound in both countries. In San Francisco, the “ParticipateSF” platform enabled over 52,000 residents in 2024 to help prioritize spending on social and environmental projects. In Guadalajara, the “Gobierno Abierto GDL” program attracted more than 70,000 citizen interactions in a single year through digital modules that allow residents to vote on infrastructure projects and review contracts in real time. These experiences have not only increased institutional trust but also shown a positive correlation with budget execution efficiency and a reduction in citizen complaints.

Universities have played a key role. In Mexico, institutions like ITESO and CIDE have promoted research on the effectiveness of civic platforms. In the U.S., universities such as MIT and NYU GovLab have developed prototypes of artificial intelligence tools to improve moderation and representativeness in digital forums. The collaboration between governments, academia, and civil society is making a crucial difference in the sophistication and credibility of these platforms.

However, the outlook is not entirely optimistic. The challenges for 2025 are numerous and complex. First, the digital divide remains a critical obstacle. While Mexico recorded an internet coverage rate of 78.6% in 2024 and the U.S. reached 93.2%, the quality, affordability, and access to devices still exclude millions of people, particularly in rural and Indigenous communities. Second, cybersecurity and data protection are emerging as top priorities. Incidents such as data breaches on municipal platforms in Baja California or attempted manipulation of citizen surveys in Texas have raised alarms about the integrity of digital processes.

Moreover, a gap in digital governance persists. Many municipalities lack the technical personnel to maintain and evolve these tools, and there is no standardized regulatory framework governing digital participation mechanisms at the local level. This results in fragmented platforms with no interoperability and unclear accountability mechanisms. Politically, resistance remains among some local elites who see these technologies as a threat to their traditional power structures.

Amid this scenario, the opportunity for 2025 lies in consolidating a binational model of democratic innovation. Mexico and the United States can move forward together in creating shared standards for civic platforms, exchanging best practices, and jointly developing public technologies. The USMCA has opened the door to closer digital cooperation, and expanding this framework to participatory governance would be a strategic move.

In conclusion, digital platforms are revolutionizing the social contract. Participation is no longer confined to the ballot box or in-person meetings. Today, a citizen can propose, debate, and decide from their phone. But for this promise not to become a privilege for the few, local and federal governments must invest decisively in connectivity, digital literacy, and solid legal frameworks. Only then can technology fulfill its greatest promise: to make democracy a daily, accessible, and truly representative practice.

Written by: Editorial Team