Social Media, Fundamental Rights and Threats to Democracy in Europe
Social media are increasingly used as a tool of communication, cultural and political interaction as well as a leading source of information. Early years discussions showed a great deal of optimism and enthusiasm towards their use, seen as a great opportunity to political literacy and the establishment of a well-aware public opinion. They have an outstanding outreach capacity, and some empirical studies show that they can enhance trust, transparency, accountability and involvement in public life. Nevertheless, today major challenges have to be addressed, such as the misuse of digital communication instruments for triggering fake, misrepresenting or emotion-led news; the manipulation of the public credibility by uncontrolled hate speech, main entryway for anti-democratic trends; an unregulated use of the digital sphere, creating ever-new threats to democracy and fundamental rights; the rising power of tech giants, big data and the risks caused by algorithm-driven public decisions. These intertwined matters are receiving undeniable interest by the regulatory authorities at national and supranational level. This proposal aims at analyzing the European approach to digital transformations and digital challenges by focusing mainly on the existing and proposed laws and bylaws, as well as case studies.
