The article tackles the recent debate on fake news and, while approaching the problem from a primarily positive law perspective, it also deals with general theory issues, linking them to the current legal and historical background. The contribution offers an overview of both anti-fake news measures adopted in some ex Western European countries and the guidelines provided for by the European Union. Such overview aims at highlighting the critical relationship between these policies and the constitutional standard of protection of freedom of speech and the essence of pluralist democracy. In terms of general theory, the debate involves, on the one hand, those who resolve Plato’s paradox of freedom by referring to the limitations of power perspective and, on the other hand, those who claim the validity of the mentioned paradox, which can be clearly seen, among others, through the lines of Böckenförde’s dilemma. Under which conditions can one say that a positive framework inspired by the free marketplace of ideas and by the Kelsenian idea of pluralist democracy can be safeguarded only by giving up the respect of its essential structure? To which idea of State and society does the recent public powers’ claim to define false information respond? In the attempt to answer those questions, the Author analyzes the origins of public debate’s polarization, of public opinion’s fragmentation and, finally, of the impressive lack of information which characterizes the contemporary communication processes.

L’articolo propone una riflessione sulle fake news e, muovendo dal diritto positivo, affronta i nodi di teoria generale sottesi al tema e li correla al contesto storico e giuridico attuale. Il contributo descrive le legislazioni anti-fake news adottate in alcuni paesi dell’ex Europa occidentale e le linee dettate in materia dall’UE, al fine di confrontare il tenore di queste politiche con le norme costituzionali in materia di manifestazione del pensiero e con l’essenza della democrazia pluralista. Radicatosi sul piano della teoria generale, il dibattito vede contrastarsi coloro che sciolgono il paradosso platonico della libertà nella prospettiva dei limiti al potere e coloro che al contrario rivendicano la validità del paradosso specialmente tra le righe del teorema di Böckenförde. In presenza di quali condizioni è possibile sostenere che un assetto positivo ispirato al free marketplace of ideas di stampo statunitense e all’idea kelseniana di democrazia pluralistica possa essere salvaguardato solo rinunciando al rispetto delle sue forme essenziali? A quale idea di Stato e di società risponde la recente pretesa dei pubblici poteri di qualificare il falso informativo? Tentando di rispondere a questi interrogativi, l’Autrice analizza le cause della polarizzazione del dibattito pubblico, della frammentazione della pubblica opinione e della gigantesca omissione informativa che caratterizza i processi comunicativi contemporanei.

Lehner, E. (2019). Fake news e democrazia. MEDIA LAWS(1), 93-122.

Fake news e democrazia

Lehner, Eva
2019-01-01

Abstract

The article tackles the recent debate on fake news and, while approaching the problem from a primarily positive law perspective, it also deals with general theory issues, linking them to the current legal and historical background. The contribution offers an overview of both anti-fake news measures adopted in some ex Western European countries and the guidelines provided for by the European Union. Such overview aims at highlighting the critical relationship between these policies and the constitutional standard of protection of freedom of speech and the essence of pluralist democracy. In terms of general theory, the debate involves, on the one hand, those who resolve Plato’s paradox of freedom by referring to the limitations of power perspective and, on the other hand, those who claim the validity of the mentioned paradox, which can be clearly seen, among others, through the lines of Böckenförde’s dilemma. Under which conditions can one say that a positive framework inspired by the free marketplace of ideas and by the Kelsenian idea of pluralist democracy can be safeguarded only by giving up the respect of its essential structure? To which idea of State and society does the recent public powers’ claim to define false information respond? In the attempt to answer those questions, the Author analyzes the origins of public debate’s polarization, of public opinion’s fragmentation and, finally, of the impressive lack of information which characterizes the contemporary communication processes.
2019
Lehner, E. (2019). Fake news e democrazia. MEDIA LAWS(1), 93-122.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11365/1090292