Workshop Governing or governed by online platforms? Interdisciplinary perspectives on Constitutionalism, the EU and Corporate Power

Digital platforms and content moderation raise complex political, legal, and empirical questions. These challenges arise from platforms’ global reach and the intertwined relationship between state power and corporate power, where the latter profits from forms of information capitalism. Recently, the EU has adopted various regulations to mitigate the risks and harms associated with platforms and seeks to establish itself as a global standard-setting power in the digital domain. Through regulatory packages such as the Digital Services Act, AI Act, and Digital Markets Act, the EU aims to foster a human-centric, rights-driven, and trustworthy online environment.

However, these recent regulatory developments warrant critical examination. Combining conceptual work with case studies, this two-day workshop at Maastricht University offers a legal and interdisciplinary investigation into the new set of obligations for digital media platforms, along with a critical evaluation of whether the EU’s approach aligns with democratic forms of governance. By deconstructing and challenging assumptions surrounding both EU law and platform regulation, this workshop seeks to advance the debate on the emerging regulatory order at the intersection of law, platform governance, and capitalism.

This workshop has been organised by Marta Maroni in collaboration with Mariëlle Wijermars (both Maastricht University). 

Workshop homepage: https://www.maastrichtuniversity.nl/events/workshop-governing-or-governed-online-platforms-interdisciplinary-perspectives