The Project Democracy website is grounded in one core idea: we are experiencing a time of democratic backsliding—the quiet but powerful process through which democracies weaken from the inside out. Such backsliding rarely looks dramatic or sudden. Instead, it happens slowly, through everyday moments we often overlook. It starts when misinformation spreads unchecked, when political leaders question legitimate election results, when journalists are attacked for doing their jobs, when courts lose independence, and when citizens begin to distrust institutions and even each other. Each small crack chips away at the systems meant to protect the people’s rights, making it harder for democracy to function the way it should. By breaking down what democratic backsliding really is and showing the warning signs, we hope to remind people that staying informed, voting, holding leaders accountable, and demanding transparency aren’t optional civic duties, they’re essential acts of preservation that every generation must take seriously. We hope this easy-to-watch TikTok video gives viewers a quick, accessible understanding of the issue at hand, then encourages them to explore the rest of the Project Democracy website to see how democratic backsliding shows up across different areas including misinformation and disinformation, AI and deepfakes, and the narratives that shaped the Black Lives Matter movement and the COVID era.