Liberal Democracy, Law and the Citizen Speaker: Regulating Online Speech

This book provides an original and theoretically informed analysis of the legal regulation of online speech, rejecting narrow pluralism and advocating for a participatory account of speech in non-deliberative settings. It explores the implications of this inclusive envisioning of public discourse for governments and social media platforms, addressing concerns about disinformation, offensive speech, and the polarising effects of political opinion. The discussion is intended for academics and researchers interested in democratic theory, digital communications, and freedom of expression.

Format: Hardback
Length: 232 pages
Publication date: 25 August 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

This book offers a groundbreaking and theoretically informed analysis of the legal regulation of online speech, challenging the narrow pluralism of elitist and deliberative accounts of citizens' role in political discourse. Instead, it advocates for a participatory account of speech in non-deliberative settings, recognizing the republican democratic aspiration for popular, ongoing authorship of laws and the centrality of freedom to dissent in democratic theory. The author then delves into the legal and policy implications for governments and social media platforms in this inclusive envisioning of public discourse.

In the digital age, the internet has democratized speech, allowing anyone with access to become a speaker. However, this democratization has brought forth a range of problematic aspects of online speech. Concerns arise regarding disinformation, 'fake news,' deep fakes, weaponized speech, and trolling. Offensive speech and the polarizing effects of robustly expressed political opinions also pose significant challenges. These downsides of democratized speech are believed to undermine the integrity of democratic processes and institutions. Public debate becomes distorted and coarsened, leading to misinformation and voter misguidance.

The liberal democratic state faces the task of responding to these challenges. The discussion in this book is intended for academics and researchers with interests in democratic theory, digital communications, and freedom of expression. It provides a stimulating and distinctive contribution to ongoing debates about online speech, offering valuable insights and perspectives.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781509945825