Предизвикателствата пред медиите в процеса на дигитална трансформация. Нови измерения на понятието свобода на словото в медиите и комуникацията в цифровата ера
Media Challenges in the Digital Transformation Process. New Dimensions of the Concept of Freedom of Speech in Media and Communication in the Digital Age

Author(s): Aneta Milkova
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Media studies, Communication studies
Published by: Факултет по журналистика и масова комуникация, Софийски университет „Св. Кл. Охридски”
Keywords: freedom of speech; digital age; media; communication; platforms; algorithms; public sphere; disinformation; moderation; artificial intelligence
Summary/Abstract: This article examines the transformations of the concept of “freedom of speech” in the context of the digital communication environment. The study is based on the understanding that the classical liberal conception, according to which freedom of speech is defined primarily as protection against state censorship, is no longer sufficient to explain contemporary processes in media and communication. In the digital age, public communication is structured by platforms, algorithms, attention economies, and new forms of content moderation, all of which alter the conditions for access, visibility, and participation in public debate. The article advances the thesis that freedom of speech should be understood not only as the right to expression, but also as the right to participate in a fair, transparent, and accountable communication environment. It analyzes the platformization of the public sphere, the algorithmic regulation of visibility, the problem of disinformation, private power over digital speech, and the impact of artificial intelligence on the credibility of public communication. The article concludes that a contemporary understanding of freedom of speech requires an interdisciplinary approach combining media theory, law, political economy, and the critical analysis of digital technologies.

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