The digitalisation of communication technology, including platformisation, has transformed all areas of life. Its societal impacts – both positive and negative – can be compared to those of the industrial revolutions. The new book Digital Media Shadowing Democracy: Technology, Communication, and Power, edited by Auksė Balčytienė, Péter Bajomi-Lázár, and Helena Sousa, brings together international research on digital media, democracy, and power.
“The chapters in this book assess the various aspects of technology-induced changes, identify key vulnerabilities regarding democratic performance, and make policy recommendations aimed at coping with these changes”, says Balčytienė.
Democracy under pressure
A central message of the book is that liberal democracies are at risk. While democratic decline has multiple causes, the authors show how technological innovation and profit-driven platform dynamics are shaping societal relations in ways that intensify disagreement and polarisation, undermining informed citizenship.
At the same time, the volume adopts a broad perspective on the digital media ecosystem and its internal dynamics.
“We wanted to capture the full complexity of today’s digital media ecosystem – from infrastructures and innovation to content, regulation, and journalism’s challenges”, says Balčytienė.
A forward-looking approach
Despite taking a critical stance on the growing influence of global platforms, the book remains forward-looking. It highlights the continued importance of democratic standards such as media freedom, pluralism, and access to reliable information, and points to the need for policy action at both national and supranational levels.
By linking technological change to questions of power, responsibility, and democratic quality, the book contributes to a deeper understanding of how digital media shape contemporary democracies – and what is at stake if these challenges remain unaddressed.