The role of the Venice commission in democracy oversight through the Internet

n recent years the Venice Commission has analyzed several national rules aimed at limiting Internet’s diffusion because of its specificity vis-à-vis the already known media. The question was thus at stake of whether and of to what extent Internet could be assimilated to the latter. The Commission’s answer was regularly positive, with the effect of denying the states’ attempts of limiting freedom of expression on the web. On the other hand, the Commission released Opinion no. 974/2019, which contains a set of principles aimed at pointing out the risks no less than the opportunities which the enormous diffusion of the digital technologies is likely to bring about on the ground of democracy and of freedom of expression. The Author seeks to demonstrate that, contrary to what might prima facie appear, the latter Opinion’s approach does not counter, but rather complements, that formulated in the opinions denying the states’ attempts of limiting freedom of expression on the web.