The chapter explores the impact of new technologies on liberal democracy, highlighting both positive and negative dimensions. E-governance, facilitated by information and communication technologies, improves efficiency, transparency, and accountability, reducing the need for physical government visits. AI-supported online voting enhances participation and prevents fraud, while social media and online communities can foster social capital. However, challenges arise as well. Social media algorithms can manipulate information, affecting public opinion, and tech giants’ dominance may influence democratic participation. Increased reliance on digital systems exposes governments to cybersecurity threats, undermining public confidence. Inequality in internet access disenfranchises those without it, leading to voter suppression and declining trust. Algorithms contribute to polarization and filter bubbles, with deepfakes impacting political discourse. In totalitarian contexts, technology aids activism against authoritarian regimes through anonymous communication and encryption. The chapter concludes by advocating strategies for maximizing benefits and minimizing harm, emphasizing digital literacy, citizen education, data privacy regulations, responsible technology use, community empowerment, activism, awareness, and accountability for ethical use by governments and tech companies. Recognizing the importance of both physical and digital connections is crucial for thriving liberal democracies.

Overseas Pakistanis continue to grow in number, expanding the national community abroad. The three main challenges that exist for the Pakistani government in protecting its citizens abroad are interconnected and have to do with maintaining remittances, increasing educational opportunities, and potentially loosening visa restrictions that hamper the ability of Pakistanis to travel and interact with other countries economically. While the world has focused on security, mainly evaluating Pakistan from an Afghanistan-focused lens as US and NATO forces remained in the country till August 2021, Pakistanis have been busy seizing opportunities for themselves and their families, indicating a high level of agency. The Pakistani government is motivated by its diaspora’s agency and self-identity needs, and welcomes engagement. This movement has now resulted in remittances becoming Pakistan’s largest source of national foreign exchange. In order to maintain remittances, the Pakistani government’s activities are likely to intensify over time. As the Pakistani government engages with its citizens abroad, one of the most interesting revelations about this research is the lack of direct military involvement.

This chapter has reviewed the rights of shareholders to participate in corporate affairs and engage with companies in Hong Kong. With concentrated ownership, it is unlikely that shareholders can change or influence corporate decisions through voting or engagement. Retail and minority shareholders rarely vote in general meetings. The promulgation in March 2016 of the Principles of Responsible Ownership in Hong Kong raised awareness of shareholder participation amongst large institutional shareholders. Legal means of protecting minority shareholders can help institutional shareholders to leverage their weak voting position when demanding changes in controlled firms. However, resorting to legal means is not affordable to retail investors. Hence, facilitating the online voting of retail shareholders and encouraging participation by institutional shareholders might be the best directions for future shareholder engagement in Hong Kong.