Digital Populism and EU Regulatory Responses: An Ecosystem Analysis

Abstract A novel form of populism has emerged from the power of online platforms and the piecemeal regulation of the internet; it is digital in nature. Populist leaders have exploited the opportunities afforded by social media platforms to enlarge their audience. The digital manifestation of this phenomenon has further complicated the challenges posed by “offline” populism for constitutional orders based on liberal-democratic values. The more and less recently adopted EU measures on online platforms offer only partial relief against the threats posed by digital populism, which currently remains an under-theorised phenomenon. EU frameworks target only certain entities or practices, are narrow in scope, and employ enforcement and regulatory mechanisms that are ineffective in governing the opaque online world; the current frameworks ultimately disregard the intricacies of digital populism. Against this background, this article advances the claim that more effective regulatory responses to digital populism can be achieved by addressing its ecosystem – particularly the plurality of actors, processes, and dynamics driving this new political behaviour. Adopting an ecosystem perspective allows regulators to identify the full spectrum of entities and interests at play in this complex phenomenon, thereby laying the foundations for more effective and comprehensive regulatory initiatives and better protections for liberal-democratic values online.