The Future of Democracy in the Digital Age

How can democracy survive in an age of accelerating technological change? This book argues that the future of democracy will depend not only on how much technology societies introduce, but also on how they regulate it and how they update institutions. Focusing on Europe, the book examines how digital technologies are transforming freedom, participation, public debate, social justice and the balance of power between citizens, states and Big Tech. Drawing on interdisciplinary research, a Delphi study involving 82 experts from across Europe, and scenario-building methods, it explores 7 possible futures for European democracy in 2033: regulatory public power, authoritarian degeneration, anti-technocratic popular uprising, informed and deliberative community, private cannibalisation of society, direct digital democracy, and democratic and social refoundation of the EU. Yet the book is not only anticipatory. It also offers recommendations for shaping digital transformation in line with democratic values, by protecting rights, reducing inequalities, empowering citizens and developing new forms of informed and accountable participation. This book is intended for scholars, students, policymakers and readers interested in political theory, democracy, digital regulation and the social impact of emerging technologies, as well as those seeking to understand the European case in the governance of digital transformation.