Technology and the Public Sphere

Abstract

Digital technologies are fundamentally reshaping the public sphere—transforming how democratic societies deliberate, inform, organise themselves, and engage with the analysis of online political debate. This panel explores the scientific, normative, political, and technological dimensions of this transformation: from the reliability of AI in real-world applications, to civic strategies in media policy, to shifting notions of agency, responsibility, and autonomy in digital contexts. Contributions examine the use of AI-powered argument mining in the analysis of political discourse, the role of media policy in addressing the crisis of commercial journalism, and how concepts such as technological determinism and digital authenticity challenge democratic ideals. Together, these papers offer critical insights into the evolving relationship between digital technology, public reason, and democracy.

Title	Details
Algorithmically-Assisted Argument Mining in Online Policy Debates: A Comprehensive Analysis of Text Corpora Using LLMs	View Paper Details
The Civic Strategy in Media Policy	View Paper Details
The Specter of Technological Determinism: Ethics, Power, and Responsibility in the Digital Age	View Paper Details
The Transformation of Autonomy: Challenges to Democratic Values in the Age of Social Media	View Paper Details