Is the digital sphere we inhabit oriented primarily toward economics or politics?

In Canada, social media played an unprecedented role in the 2019 federal election campaign, influencing party leaders to adapt to this means of interaction with voters. Election mentions on Twitter were up 90% since the 2015 election, and 2019 was the most tweeted Canadian election in history. One reason was smartphone apps and the ease of use over the past four years. Justin Trudeau, who ultimately won the election, greatly surpassed the numbers of other leaders. Although it may seem that social media are targeted to younger voters, in fact most of the recent growth is among older voters (Lizee 2019).

Today, social networking sites play a large role in shaping the political landscape. An important area of inquiry is how emerging media technologies and applications have enabled diverse means and practices for engaging in public life and invigorated democratic politics. Darin Barney (2003, 2008) investigates the potential for democratic participation via Web 2.0 platforms such as social networking sites. We may be settling for publicity, or publishing our opinions, in place of the more the demanding democratic goods of politicization and equality and direct action. Barney argues that rational-critical debate has been supplanted by consumer choice, and rather than mediating a rejuvenation of the public sphere, digital technology is part of a trajectory in which the political character of the public sphere has largely decomposed.

Is the digital sphere we inhabit oriented primarily toward economics or politics?