Top 21 Digital4Development influencers to follow in 2021

European Digital Development Alliance (EDDA) has the pleasure to announce the list of 21 Digital4Development influencers to follow in 2021. These are practitioners, activists, researchers and representatives of think tanks, NGOs, academia and SMEs who work on one or several EDDA's thematic areas: EU Digital Single Market; EU Digital4Development; Innovative Governance; Digital Democracy; Artificial Intelligence; Data protection and Cybersecurity; Digital skills and Inclusion. The top 21 influencers are:

1. Michael Alvarez, Professor of Political Science at the California Institute of Technology. EDDA areas of expertise: Innovative Governance, Digital Democracy. Linkedin | Facebook | Twitter
2. Andrus Ansip, Vice President of the EU Commission for the Digital Single Market. EDDA area of expertise: EU Digital Single Market Twitter
3. Joanna Bryson, Full Professor of Ethics and Technology at the Hertie School of Governance. EDDA areas of expertise: AI, digital inclusion. Linkedin | Facebook | Twitter        
4. Steven Clift, Digital Strategist at StevenClift.com EDDA areas of expertise: Innovative Governance, Digital Democracy Linkedin | Facebook | Twitter
5. Kate Crawford, Co-founder of the AI Now Institute. EDDA areas of expertise: AI, digital inclusion. Linkedin | Twitter             
6. Veronica Cretu, Director of Strategy and Partnerships at Global Data Barometer, EDDA areas of expertise: EU Digital4Development, Innovative Governance, Digital Democracy, Artificial Intelligence. Linkedin | Facebook | Twitter
7. Tim Davies, Project Director with Global Data Barometer. EDDA areas of expertise: EU Digital Single Market, EU Digital4Development, Innovative Governance, Digital Democracy, Digital skills and Inclusion. Linkedin | Facebook | Twitter
8. Bjorn-Soren Gigler, Senior Innovation Officer at the European Commission. EDDA areas of expertise: EU Digital4Development, AI. Linkedin | Twitter
9. Fabrizio Gilardi, Professor at the University of Zurich. EDDA areas of expertise: Digital democracy. Linkedin | Twitter
10. Alexander Howard, Director of the Digital Democracy Project at the Demand Progress Educational Fund. EDDA areas of expertise: Innovative Governance, Digital Democracy. Linkedin | Facebook | Twitter        
11. Toomas Ilves, Former President of Estonia. EDDA areas of expertise: Cyber security, EU Digital Single Market. Twitter
12. Marijn Janssen, Full Professor in ICT & Governance at the Delft University of Technology. EDDA areas of expertise: Innovative Governance, Data protection and cybersecurity. Linkedin | Twitter | Facebook
13. Assya Kavkarova, Director of the European Citizen Action Service. EDDA areas of expertise: Digital Democracy, Digital Inclusion. Linkedin | Twitter
14. Karen Kornbluh, Founding Director of the Digital Innovation and Democracy Initiative at the German Marshall Fund of the US. EDDA areas of expertise: Cyber Security, AI, Digital Democracy. Linkedin | Twitter              
15. Igor Kotsiuba, Representative of Ukraine in COST Action at the European Commission. EDDA areas of expertise: Cyber Security. Linkedin |Facebook |Twitter
16. Robert Krimmer, ERA-Chair Professor of e-Governance at the University of Tartu. EDDA areas of expertise: Innovative Governance, Digital Democracy. Linkedin | Facebook | Twitter          
17. Gianluca Misuraca, Member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the DIGISER Project. EDDA areas of expertise: AI, Innovative Governance. Linkedin | Facebook | Twitter
18. Alejandro Moledo, Policy coordinator at the European Disability Forum. EDDA areas of expertise: Digital Skills and Inclusion. Linkedin |Twitter
19. Sanjay Pradhan, Chief Executive Officer at Open Government Partnership. EDDA areas of expertise: Innovative Governance, EU Digital4Development, Digital Democracy. Linkedin |Facebook | Twitter  
20. Stefaan Verhulst, Chief Research and Development Officer of the Governance Laboratory at New York University. EDDA areas of expertise: AI, Innovative Governance, Digital Democracy. Linkedin | Twitter
21. Anthony Zacharzewski, President of the Democratic Society. EDDA areas of expertise: Innovative Governance, Digital Democracy. Linkedin | Facebook | Twitter

The candidates were nominated via an open call in social media. Among the nominees, the finalists were defined by several criteria: relevance of expertise, social media activity, language of posts, and the total number of followers. While preparing this list, we noticed that women and representatives from the Global South working on issues related to Digital4Development tend to have fewer social media engagement and a smaller number of followers. Therefore, the next year EDDA will apply intersectional approach to composing the list and introduce quotas for underrepresented groups effectively ensuring equal representation of Digital4Development experts.