I poteri digitali nelle democrazie liberali: prospettive economico-costituzionali

Abstract

The article examines the impact of digital powers on liberal democracies
from an economic-constitutional perspective. It argues that constitutional democracy is grounded in a pluralist response to the problem of truth, understood not as adherence to absolute truths but as an open, discursive search for truth sustained by a specific political  culture. Building on the interdependence between truth, culture, and constitutional order, the paper highlights how democratic capitalism – based on decentralized information flows and market competition – reflects this pluralist framework. The rise of digital platforms, however, introduces multidimensional private powers – economic, informational, and political – that risk undermining democratic processes and weakening liberal-democratic political culture. The article concludes that a constitutionally grounded, rights-driven regulatory approach – such as that pursued by the European Union – is necessary to contain digital power and preserve the pluralist foundations of liberal democracy.