A Republican Perspective on Digital Domination

Digital platforms wield significant power, enabling them to influence users both directly and indirectly. This dissertation examines these dynamics through a neo-republican lens, which defines freedom as the absence of arbitrary power. It argues that digital platforms exercise arbitrary power not only in their direct interactions with users but also indirectly, by shaping the broader social, economic, and technological structures of the digital sphere. These powers are often insufficiently democratically constrained, posing a threat to republican liberty.

The dissertation applies this framework to a range of issues, including hate speech and so-called “jerkish” speech, the European Union's digital strategy, and the rise of digital consumerism. It also explores various neo-republican responses to the unchecked power of platforms, such as promoting digital citizenship, fostering competitive markets, and supporting cooperatives or publicly owned alternatives.