Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is Dictatorank?
Dictatorank is a community-powered platform that tracks and scores democratic backsliding in countries around the world. It uses public, verifiable evidence to assign a dictatorship score to each country based on a standardized methodology.
Who can contribute evidence?
Anyone. Dictatorank is open to journalists, researchers, civil society members, and concerned citizens. As long as the submitted evidence meets our evidence guidelines, it can be reviewed and used in scoring.
How is the score calculated?
Each country is evaluated across 10 categories, each worth 10% of the total score. Categories contain specific indicators, and once an indicator has at least 4 approved pieces of evidence, it contributes to the category's score. The country's overall score is the average of all category scores. See the Methodology page for full details.
What kind of sources are accepted?
Evidence must be public, verifiable, and credible. Accepted sources include reputable news outlets, official government releases, NGO reports, and court documents. Screenshots, anonymous tips, or opinion pieces without citations are not accepted.
Can I submit the same article for different indicators?
Yes, as long as the article supports each indicator independently. However, each article (URL) can only be submitted once per country + indicator. Submitting the same article multiple times for the same indicator will result in rejection.
What happens after I submit evidence?
Your submission will enter a review process. Moderators or trusted contributors will assess whether the evidence meets submission standards. Approved submissions count toward confirming indicators.
Is there a way to dispute or challenge scores?
Yes. If you believe a score is inaccurate, you can either submit new evidence or request a review on a specific indicator. We aim to be transparent and encourage constructive feedback.
Is this project political?
Dictatorank is non-partisan and evidence-based. While the results may reflect poorly on certain regimes or trends, our goal is transparency and democratic accountability, not political advocacy.
Why was Dictatorank created?
Dictatorank was inspired by the poem "First They Came" by Pastor Martin Niemöller, and was launched in response to growing concerns about authoritarianism—particularly recent developments in the United States. The creators felt it was important to speak out, document changes, and empower others to do the same through verifiable facts.
Is the data open for research?
We aim to support researchers, journalists, and advocacy organizations. Data export and API access features are planned for future releases.