Taiwan’s first Digital Minister, she is dedicated to promoting openness, collaboration, and using digital tools to strengthen democracy and civil society. “Civic Hacking” is what she defines as thinking outside the box to present information or listen in ways traditional politics might not, creating more possibilities and is something she advocates for.
The platform g0v, is just one amongst her many important areas of work. It’s a platform that makes government information more comprehensible and reachable. Next is the vTawain, an online forum for public discussion and petitioning, for this she uses a tool - Polis, it helps to facilitate online conversations by measuring and bridging ideas rather than allowing direct replies that could lead to flame wars. This coincides with her overall aim of using ‘pro-social social media - to amplify common ground and bridge divides, which is a stark contrast to platforms that prioritise addictive engagement and extreme voices.
Along with being recognised as Taiwan’s first transgender cabinet minister, she has also made progressive moves with her vision and practical application of technology for the common good.
She has developed strategies such as pre-bunking and collaborative fact checking to counter misinformation, particularly regarding election integrity. Throughout her work she instills her philosophy of ‘broad listening’ and radical transparency, ensuring that even lobbyists operate in the public eye and contribute to ongoing conversations.
If you want to read more, her book Plurality, explores how Tang and her team used digital tools to foster inclusive growth, social unity, and diversity through open, collaborative governance and it presents transformative ideas for sectors from healthcare to media, offering ways to use technology to enrich human relationships while ensuring no one is left behind.
It's safe to say her work is pivotal in showing how technology and democracy can be mutually reinforcing when designed with principles of plurality, trust, and shared reality.
