The right to housing in the digital era: emerging trends in Southern Europe

This paper analyzes the effects of digitalization on the inclusivity of right to housing in Southern Europe. We examine the impact of digital capitalism on the housing market, the use of social networks by social movements to give visibility to housing needs, and the promotion of digital platforms by public authorities to reduce the digital gap and consolidate the right to housing, especially for the most vulnerable people. Drawing on qualitative data collection in Madrid, Bologna, and Athens, key dimensions of discussion include: the impact of digital transformations on the public housing and real estate market, the importance of digital literacy and resources, the role of non-governmental actors in shaping public opinion through digital social networks, and the most impacted social groups by the recent digital acceleration. The impact of digitalization on the right to housing is found to depend on factors such as the population groups, the digital gap, the territorial context, and the type of digital platform.