Gore: 'Our democracy has been hacked'

Al Gore said on Tuesday that America's democracy "has been hacked" and advocated for the use of digital tools to improve the government.

Speaking to the high-tech crowd at the South by Southwest technology conference in Austin, Texas, the former vice president said that social media and digital technology should be used to "change the democratic conversation."

"Our democracy has been hacked," Gore said, according to CNN. "It no longer works, in the main, to serve the interests of our people."

He also urged the audience to begin a new, online "Occupy Democracy" movement, according to The Associated Press.

Gore went on to describe his vision for a "wiki-democracy" of "digital flash mobs calling out the truth" and "a government square that holds people accountable."

His comments came during a panel with Sean Parker, who founded Napster and helped start Facebook.

Both men said that digital tools and social media could be used to counteract the influence of money in politics, urging people to do more than "like" something on Facebook.

"It's not enough to take that small action online," said Parker, who was portrayed by Justin Timberlake in the move "The Social Network." "A referral or notification is not really the same thing as showing up at a protest or actually opening up your wallet."

Gore also criticized the Supreme Court's ruling in the Citizens United case, which helped increase the influence of super-PACs in elections.

"When we win the conversation, then the pressure can be put on the politicians and elected officials to do the right thing," Gore said.

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