The Ways Social Media Shape Democratic Voting

Digital had the promise of an efficient democratic space: unlimited, accessible and quality information co-built by the multitude. This utopia of an open Internet forming a better informed citizen has run up against the creation of essential platforms with privileged access to citizens and using powerful tools for targeting and viral dissemination of information. Elon Musk’s X platform uses the argument of freedom of expression for directly political purposes to support the candidate and then president Trump. The Cambridge Analytica scandal and Russian interference in elections exemplify the manipulation of opinions and resulting behaviour.
The functioning of social networks raises many issues: to what extent is the information presented biased? To what extent are citizens trapped in information bubbles? Above all, do these social networks profoundly change democratic opinions and practices themselves? Finally, how can these networks be regulated to guarantee an open and pluralistic debate?