Democratic responsibility in the digital public sphere

The Internet has democratized speech, creating a forum for public self-expression and connecting billions of speakers listeners who never could have found each other before. is not without faults, to be sure, but before so many people been afforded opportunities speak, heard, share information with others. Just as printing made everyone potential reader, today digitalisation making into author. But how long did it take until was able read? . A politically appropriate perception the author role, which same consumer tends increase awareness deficits in one's own level knowledge. role also learned; this realised political exchange social media, quality uninhibited discourse shielded from dissonant opinions criticism will continue suffer. Despite accumulating challenges, digital communication technologies retain considerable democratic potential. They enabled movements, mass protests, open-data initiatives cities. we all learned failures an earlier wave techno-utopianism, exploitation technological affordances deeply contingent—dependent on ethical conviction, engagement, regulation, good design choices. In particular, spirit Habermas’ remark quoted at outset, think that only realized if participants what calling “the sphere” deepen their sense responsibility proceeds there. brief clarification: by sphere,” mean sphere discussion about matters potentially shared concern shaped part online platforms (intermediaries store users’ enable its dissemination). Thus, neither everything happens or (much concern), nor online. It plays important shaping discussion. We begin sketching idealized sphere, marries inclusion deliberation. Our current digitalized dramatically more inclusive than post-war media sphere. expansion come substantial deliberative price. To improve discussion, focus responsibilities must democratically successful. participant action insufficient. others offered suggestions contributions corporate responsibility, researchers, well civic advocacy organizations. European Union's new regulations Intermediary Services, example, Digital Services Act, include requirements illegal content impose due diligence very large need do audited systematic risk assessments offer plans remediation (Husovec & Roche Laguna, 2022). This approach much said (though proliferation generative models, may addressed last year's problems). because vastly expanded aperture are uneasy regulating substance skeptical proposals turn regulators (or any agents) editorial guardians. Emphasizing give appearance once blaming burdening victims degraded resist characterization. Instead, here they become capable responsible attractive qualities greater brought. Relying solely regulatory mechanisms, whether private, create guardians over practice communication. And such guardianship seems up promise self-government consociates. idea society whose free equal members use common reason argue issues exercise power guided use. animating marry broad participation engagement merits different courses action: combine democracy reasoning. Thus understood, politics—as discursive autonomy—depends informal, open-ended, fluid, dispersed discussions concern. Rights: Each person rights basic liberties, including liberties expression association. central meaning expressive liberty strong presumption against viewpoint discrimination—against speech reasons having perspective. That protects both interests audiences bystanders enabling access fundamentally ideas. secures independence authoritative regulation (Blasi, 2017). While right does protect individuals censorship, enabling. Protecting helps establish conditions citizens form express views monitor hold accountable those power. gives additional judging results legitimate. Expression: chances audience. our Rights condition bars viewpoint-discriminatory restrictions liberty, Expression adds requiring fair participate communicating beyond friends personal acquaintances. requires opportunity reach audience given reasonable efforts. Access: instructive Access entitlement informed becoming measure effort. make efforts can acquire reliable sources. Reliable sources trustworthy trust, though course always accurate. Instructive relevant under understandable specialized training. Diversity: hear wide range Diversity simply factual information. competing values, implications tax incidence important, fairness. valuable exposure disagreement understanding justification provides environment forming accurate beliefs. thus confers individual benefits arguably contributes Communicative Power: associate explore ideas together eye arriving understandings advancing concerns (Arendt, 1970; Habermas, 1998, chapter 4). Power capacity sustained joint collective action, generated through open-ended exploration, mutual understanding. association contained requirement. These conditions, describe structure equal, substantive communicative freedom, far-reaching political, social, economic implications. Equal standing reasoning favorable background limits socioeconomic inequality dependencies associated it. Similarly, conjunction tension concentrated private control opportunities. Truth: First, well-functioning understand disposed acknowledge importance truth. means deliberately misrepresenting beliefs showing reckless disregard truth falsity assertions. norm prohibits negligence assertions when know relying representations, especially costs reliance large. Respecting truthfulness assure require getting things right: anyone understands nature knows most issues. demands effort get right, recognition often difficult even aiming Because uncertainty, error, normal features willingness correct errors assertion, particularly relied Common Good: Second, concerned good, some good. “Reasonable understandings” respect entitled depend view justice fundamental questions conception Here, value equality expressed define freedom conceptions bring frame contributions. Civility: Third, recognize obligation prepared justify reference conception. argument affirming group membership identity, less rhetorical strategy exercising service advantage. call matter civility thinking politeness being explain why laws policies support supported core, values principles—say, equality, general welfare—and listen open accommodating views. demanding. lay them out explicitly order consider existence digitally mediated sphere—in provide informational infrastructure—bears these As argued elsewhere, digitalization had decidedly mixed effects. societies perhaps authoritarian contexts, increased previously lacked see just Q-Anon “Stop Steal,” Movement Black Lives #MeToo. encountering diverse mostly radical authorship. constricted among media's ease suppressing others’ trolling, doxxing, forms attack. ways increased. deception, misinformation, propaganda accompany abundance, easy sort between them. Building concerted by, others, governments, companies, nongovernmental organizations, themselves. remainder contribution, groups authors, amplifiers, readers aspect received somewhat attention. Indeed, rise meet challenges should asked expected so. Individuals readers, listeners, viewers, joiners action. By reducing transmitting messages, If wish avoid imposing significant hurdles information, burdens distinguish manipulation, restraint deciding communicate, sanction abuse norms. Platforms governments help active, affirmative role. Many depended journalists embraced norms (Hamilton, 2018). organizations employed them—as professional organizations—sometimes rewarded Although analogy imperfect, internet companies users behave designing foster participants’ orientation. enhancing literacy recognizing negligent truth, spreading habits checking, encouraging encounter perspectives. enough; bottom-up elicit kind generation users. Focusing, then, imply responsibilities? spheres public, truth-seeking (including authors) literate propaganda. makes task challenging important. Aiding check veracity stories liking forwarding disposition amplifying messages lack undermine civility, amplification self-satisfying, in-group reinforcing, profitable. promoting sources, offering tools assess trustworthiness specific diets general, rewarding—and reward—truth-seeking behavior instructing epistemic humility. Teachers, students communication, developing updated methods (such attention cross-checking assertions, confirmation bias) better discern reliability relevance environment. Alternatively, commitment disagree ends ought pursue, resolve differences basis respects Projecting orientation narrow news (Guess, 2021). attentive broader array judgments. Doing that, turn, learning interests, perspectives, pain inhabit parts Citizens spaces putting forth perspectives appeal across, within, bounds ideology, community. actors, contribute well. Formal popular education spread widely. normative prescriptive accounts socialization. Clear rules thumb expectations would direct dimension judgment guide expressions approval disapproval. Moreover, third-party organizations—analogous independent emerged around fake educational resources—might violate demote priority posts feeds. Some critics suggest “golden age” second half twentieth century historical aberration, bracketed periods conspiracy theory, uncivil conflict. period benefitted governance ways, remember limited authors reporting business elites. least United States, gatekeepers defended “consensus” visions capitalism, anti-communism, US foreign policy. techno-optimists 1990s hoped, broken gates open, adding dismal, lacks orientations toward civility. Looking forward schematically, end incremental modifications status quo Large platform dominate policy media. Advertising objectives remain primary, little subscription revenue responsiveness worst excesses. Or determined supply side sphere—perhaps algorithmically legally (through assessment stronger standards intermediary liability) demoting taking down deemed false harmful increasing proportion produced professional, high-quality Whichever direction dominates, fostering play remedying deficiencies capture desirable particular production it—while preserving gains inclusiveness brought achieve achieved all. worth trying yet ready sacrifice ideal substantively lost. Nor expansive guardian regulated best hope for. Joshua Cohen member Apple University faculty, Distinguished Senior Fellow Law, Philosophy, Political Science California, Berkeley, co-editor Boston Review. He Norton Introduction Politics, Democracy; Rousseau: Free Community Equals; Arc Moral Universe Other Essays Archon Fung Winthrop Laflin McCormack Professor Citizenship Self-Government directs Ash Center Democratic Governance Innovation Harvard Kennedy School. His books Empowered Particiption; Deepening Democracy: Institutional Innovations Participatory Governance; Full Disclosure: Perils Promise Transparency.