The digitalization of the public sphere has brought new challenges for democratic societies. In particular, we have seen how democratic processes such as general elections are threatened by misleading information, extremist views, and attacks on political opponents. This has led democratic states to increasingly regulate digital platforms by legislating the exclusion of users and content. At the same time, we know very little about how, in doing so, we can protect democracy from actors that threaten it without simultaneously undermining democratic norms and principles.
The aim of the project is to examine how democratic states have chosen to regulate what can be published on digital media platforms, what explains differences between these types of regulations, and what the democratic consequences are. In the first part, existing national regulatory frameworks will be mapped, along with the factors and mechanisms that explain why democratic states design different regulatory approaches for digital public arenas. In the second part of the project, the study investigates how national legislation shapes inclusion and exclusion on platforms by systematically mapping patterns in the removal of content and users. Finally, theoretical tools grounded in democratic theory will be developed and applied in an analysis of the extent to which existing regulations align with democratic norms and principles.
The results of the project are relevant not only for theoretical and empirical research on how public discourse can contribute to the deepening of democracy, but also for policymakers and public authorities working with digital disinformation and harmful influence.
The project owner is Stockholm University, and project manager is Ludvig Norman.
