About this Research Topic

Background

In contemporary democracies worldwide, digital activism has become an integral and transformative force in political engagement. The digital age has ushered in profound changes in how individuals interact with politics and activism, primarily driven by the ascent of digital platforms, with social media at the forefront. While these platforms offer unprecedented opportunities for citizen participation and serve as powerful agents of change, they also bring forth pressing challenges. These challenges include the dissemination of disinformation, growing concerns about online privacy, and the essential task of striking a delicate balance between harnessing the democratic potential they offer and mitigating the associated risks.

Digital activism is imbued with the ability to mobilize citizens, challenge established power structures, and drive social and political transformation. Understanding the intricate dynamics, formidable obstacles, and boundless potential of digital activism is not only a priority but a necessity for researchers, policymakers, activists, and technology companies. Against this background, this Research Topic aims to explore the multifaceted dimensions of digital activism in the context of contemporary democracy. Its ultimate goal is to contribute substantively to the ongoing discourse by providing a comprehensive examination of the pivotal role that digital activism plays in shaping the modern democratic landscape.

The Research Topic welcomes both empirical studies using qualitative, quantitative, computational, and mixed-methods approaches (inclusive of descriptive and causal studies); and theoretical pieces that have direct applications to digitalization and political democracy.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• the impact of social media and digital platforms on political mobilization
• the legal framework of digital platforms in relation to digital activism
• innovative strategies and tactics employed by digital activists
• digital activism in diverse global and regional contexts
• the influence of digital activism on policy formulation and political change
• challenges related to disinformation, online privacy, and surveillance
• ethical and regulatory considerations in digital activism
• the consequences of a fragmented, multi-platform digital ecosystem for politics and society.

Keywords: digital activism, social media, democracy, disinformation, policy

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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