[STUDENT PAPER] Should we rethink the governance of platforms in order to create a system of checks and balances consistent with our democratic values?

The Digital, Governance and Sovereignty Chair will now publish, on a regular basis, a selection of the finest essays and papers written by Sciences Po students in the course of their studies.

This paper was written by two students from the Digital, New Technology and Public Policy stream of the Master in Public Policy and Master in European Affairs of the School of Public Affairs, as part of the course entitled “Comparative Approach to Big Tech Regulation” given by Florence G’sell.

Should we rethink the governance of platforms in order to create a system of checks and balances consistent with our democtratic values?

Digital platforms have become part and parcel of our everyday lives, becoming mediators of a perplexing amount of experiences and exchanges. As such, these platform policies have huge implications for not only our private usage, but our social lives and political debate.

Therefore, this policy brief addresses the crucial  issues of democratic checks and balances to hold platform decision making and the power they hold over online platforms sociality accountable.

Click below to read the Policy Brief “Should we rethink the governance of platforms in order to create a system of checks and balances consistent with our democtratic values? “

About the authors

Giulia PAXTON has a background in social anthropology and is interested in the underlying ethics and politics of policy and technology. She considered digital policy to be an especially interesting field of study as its novelty and democratic appeal allow for fundamental questions of governance to be reconsidered in new contexts. 

Master in Public Policy at the School of public affairs of Sciences Po,

Policy stream: Digital, New Technology and Public Policy

Tamian DERIVRY has a multidisciplinary background in political science, sociology, law and economics. He is particularly interested in digital politics and the governance of digital platforms. His work seeks to combine different disciplinary perspectives to study the potential dangers and opportunities of digital environments for fundamental rights and democracy.

Master in European Affairs at the School of public affairs of Sciences Po 

Policy stream: Digital, New Technology and Public Policy

About the School of Public Affairs

The School of Public Affairs offers masters covering all aspects of public affairs with eleven specialties and a very wide choice of international double degrees . It also offers excellent preparation for competitive examinations for senior national and European civil service.

A first publication of its kind, this student contribution was written as part of the course “Comparative approaches to Big Tech Regulation” given by Professor Florence G’sell in the spring semester. This course is given as part of the “Digital, New Technology and Public Policy” stream, an interdisciplinary program in which students acquire the fundamental theoretical, practical and critical skills they need to shape the future of public policy in the digital era. This program is taught entirely in English