Normative and Ethical Perspectives on Voting Advice Applications

Abstract

Given the spread of VAAs and their alleged impact on voting behaviour, it seems more than appropriate to have a closer look at the normative assumptions these tools are based upon. Relying on the principles of issue voting, VAAs favour a specific model of representation which might be contested by other voting theories. By choosing a specific number of issues, VAA providers define the relevant political space and force parties to have a position on these issues which might not be relevant for smaller or single issue parties. By giving the candidates the possibility to position themselves individually, as it is the case in candidate-based VAAs, they deprive the parties from their possibilities to pre-select the candidates which are likely to get elected. And finally, are there any guidelines VAAs should adhere to when it comes to the issues selected, the parties included, or the disclosure of the methods used and the funding of the provider? This panel is interested in papers which deal more generally with the impact of VAAs on democracy, parties and electoral behaviour as well as in considerations which address more ethical aspects of the phenomenon, best practises and a possible code of conduct for their providers.

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