FromthescarcityofbroadcastfrequenciestothefilterbubbleRegulatinggatekeepersDRGÁBORPOLYÁK

UNIVERSITYOFPÉCS

Researchproject “RegulatoryIssuesoftheInternetIntermediaries”AresearchprojectsupportedbytheNationalResearch,DevelopmentandInnovationOffice

torevealthesocialrisksarisingfromtheoperationofintermediariesthroughtheinterdisciplinaryanalysisofthetechnical,economic,culturalimportanceoftheintermediaries,andtomakerecommendationsonthedevelopmentofthelegalenvironmentandotherpolicyinstrumentsoftheseservices

◦ TheProtectionofPrivacyandDataProtectionLaw◦ TheRegulationoftheDigitalPublicCommunication◦ TheUseofDigitalWorksintheIntermediaries’Activity◦ TheIntermediaries’ImpactontheDigitalCommunicationMarket

GatekeepersPlayersofthemediasystemwhomakedecisionsontheforwardingofinformation,ortheconditionsofsuchforwarding.◦ criticalinfluenceontheformationoftheselectionofcontentavailabletotheaudience◦ influencethechancesoftheindividualitemsofinformationandtheirproviderstoreachtheaudience

Twotypesofgatekeepers(Helbergeretal.)◦ directinfluenceofjournalistsandeditorsoncontent◦ possibilityofdisposingovertheresources,intermediariesandservicesthatareindispensablefortheflowofinformation

Regulatorysignificanceofgatekeeperspointsofregulatoryinterventioninfavorofthirdparties’interest◦ itemsofinformationorcontentwhichareundesirableforthewholesocietyorsomegroupsofsocietycanbefilteredoutfromtheinformationflow

obstaclestotheflowofinformation◦ arbitrarydecisiononfilteringcertaininformation,discriminativeaccess◦ functioningofapluralmediasystem

Internet– apublicspherewithoutgatekeepers?leveloftheinfrastructure◦ netneutrality

leveloftheplatforms◦ intermediaries

“fourhorsemenoftheApocalypse”◦ dominantposition◦ networkeffect

establishingofthesearchandrankingalgorithmsisa“value-baseddecision”◦ opinion-formingeffect

Personalizedflowofinformationrelevanceincludespersonalevaluation

excessive→ “filterbubble”

tailor-madeinformationecosystem↔democraticpublicity

hiddenmechanism

userbehaviorslimittheeffectsofthefilterbubble

RegulatorysolutionsofthegatekeepersTransparencyPreferringcertaincontentsNon-discriminationStructuralmeasuresStrengtheningofusercompetences

Transparencyvisibleandpredictable risks

formersolutions◦ opentenderingprocessofterrestrialfrequencies◦ disclosureofthecontractualterms◦ openstandards◦ transparencyofthecriteriaofnetworkmanagement

transparencyofalgorithms?◦ justifiedeconomicinterests◦ providinginformationon thefactofapplicationofalgorithms◦ “benchmarks”, „maximas”

Preferringcertaincontentscontentswithaspecialcontributiontotherealizationofmediapolicygoalscanbepreferredbythedistribution

formersolutions◦ must carryrequirements◦ quotas◦ electronicprogramguides

Preferringcontentsbytheintermediaries?◦ nospecialcontentsprovidingthepublicinterest

Non-discriminationequalaccessconditions

formersolutions◦ fair,reasonableandnon-discriminatoryaccesstodigitalmiddlewareservices◦ balancedinformation◦ netneutrality:prohibitionofblockinglawfulcontents

searchneutrality?◦ relevanceofresults?

Structuralmeasuressignificance◦ meansofreducingtheconstitutionalrisks◦ influencetheownershipstructure,themarketpositions,aswellassomeofthedecision-makingprocessesofthecompanies

◦ evenifthebehaviorofthecompany canhardlybeinfluencedbyanyregulatorymeasures

formersolutions◦ exanterestrictionofmediaconcentration◦ “programcommittee”

verticalintegration◦ absoluteprohibition?

Strengtheningofusercompetenceslackofusers’awareness

medialiteracy→ placeandroleofintermediaries

opportunitytoswitchoffpersonalizedranking

understandingdataprotectionframeworks◦ dataportability◦ privacybydesign,privacybydefault

Thankyouforyourattention!

polyak.gabor@pte.hu