The “neo-intermediation” of large on-line platforms: Perspectives of analysis of the “state of health” of the digital information ecosystem

The key role played by online platforms in the neo-intermediation of the public debate requires a review of current tools for mapping the digital informa tion ecosystem, highlighting the political nature of such an analysis: Starting from a synoptic overview of the main models of platform governance, we try to under stand whether the ongoing European shift towards the Limited Government Regu lation (LGR) model will be able to counterbalance the “systemic opinion power” of the giant platforms and restore the “health” of the digital information ecosystem. A close analysis of the European Digital Services Act (DSA) has highlighted some limitations in achieving its goals, because of the features of the LGR on the one hand, and the disruptive features of the algorithmic neo-intermediation phenome non on the other. Thus, we suggest a tripartite regulatory model, that can be defined as “neo-editorial accountability.” However, increasing users’ critical algorithmic awareness is an essential prerequisite for implementing the suggested template, and mitigating an outstanding effect of the LGR model: the normalization of the ideological assumptions underlying informational capitalism.