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61 Rev. Catalana Dret Pub. 1 (2020)

handle is hein.journals/revcatdp61 and id is 1 raw text is: 

















FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND DIGITAL PLATFORMS: CHALLENGES FOR
CONTENT REGULATION IN A GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT*


Joan Barata Mir**
Abstract

The fundamental rights to freedom of expression and freedom of information are recognized, protected and delimited
in practically all the constitutions of the political systems of liberal democracies, including the Spanish Constitution.
These rights are also part of the human rights framework established by the rules of international law. Intermediaries
have become  the main actors in the process of disseminating and distributing all types of content. They also play a very
important role in ensuring the visibility of content produced by traditional media. The interests that modulate the
decisions taken by intermediaries are not solely and necessarily the protection of the right to freedom of expression.
Intermediaries are commercially oriented entities and follow business models based on advertising, among other
things. The most influential legal systems in the world (particularly those in the European Union and the United States)
encourage the moderation of content by platforms, ensuring that they are not penalized as a result of content provided
by third parties or due to the adoption of certain measures aimed at eliminating illegal or objectionable content. For
these reasons, intermediaries play a very important role in creating the conditions for the exercise of the right to freedom
of expression online.

Key  words: freedom of expression; content regulation; liability of intermediaries; self-regulation of media.


LLIBERTAT D'EXPRESSIC                   I   PLATAFORMES DIGITALS: REPTES DE LA
REGULAC/b DE CONTINGUTS EN UN ENTORN GLOBAL

Resum

Els drets fonamentals a la llibertat d'expressi6 i a la llibertat d'informaci6 es troben reconeguts, protegits i delimitats
en la practica totalitat de les constitucions dels sistemes politics de les democracies liberals, entre elles la Constituci6
espanyola. Aquests drets formen igualment part del quadre fonamental de drets humans establert per les normes de dret
internacional. Els intermediaris s'han convertit en els principals actors del proc s de difusi6 i distribuci6 de tot tipus de
contingut. Tambe tenen un paper molt destacat a 'hora d'assegurar la visibilitat del contingut produit pels mitjans
tradicionals. Els interessos que modulen les decisions preses pels intermediaris no s6n unicament i necessariament
la protecci6 del dret a la llibertat d'expressi6. Els intermediaris s6n entitats orientades comercialment i segueixen
models de negoci basats en la venda de publicitat, entre altres aspectes. Els sistemes legals amb m s influencia en el
m6n  (particularment els de la Uni6 Europea i els Estats Units) incentiven la moderaci6 del contingut per part de les
plataformes, garantint que no s6n penalitzades com a consequencia del contingut subministrat per tercers o a causa de
1'adopci6 de determinades mesures orientades a eliminar contingut il-legal o contingut inadequat. Per aquests motius,
els intermediaris tenen un paper molt important en la creaci6 de les condicions per a l'exercici del dret a la llibertat
d'expressi6 en linia.
Paraules clau: llibertat d'expressi6; regulaci6 de continguts; responsabilitat d'intermediaris; autoregulaci6 de mitjans.

This  article is a translation of an original one in Catalan.
* Joan Barata Mir, Associate Researcher at the Cyber Policy Center of the University of Stanford, former Secretary General of the
Catalan Audio-Visual Council and former Principal Adviser to the Representative on Freedom of the Media to the OECD. Freeman
Spogli Institute for International Studies. Encina Hall. 616 Jane Stanford Way. Stanford, CA 94305-6055, USA). jbaratamirdgmail.
com, iJoanBarata.
Article received: 13.09.2020. Blind review: 25.09.2020 and 04.10.2020. Final version accepted: 07.10.2020.
Recommended   citation: Barata Mir, Joan. (2020). Freedom of expression and digital platforms: challenges for content regulation in
a global environment. Revista Catalana de DretPublic, 61, 1-13. https://doi.org/1O2436/rcdu.i612020.3519.


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