Abstract
Digital platforms and algorithmic systems have become central mediators in the production, circulation, and access to knowledge. On the one hand, digitization has expanded the dissemination of content and created new opportunities for participation; on the other, it has generated new forms of exclusion and inequality. At the core of this dilemma lies the growing reliance on algorithmic gatekeepers—mechanisms of filtering and prioritization that determine which voices are amplified and which remain silenced. This paper critically examines the impact of algorithmic gatekeepers on the democratization of knowledge, exploring the tension between technological innovation and human rights. Drawing on legal and philosophical frameworks, it discusses how the logic of recommendation algorithms, combined with the concentration of power in major digital platforms, constrains freedom of expression, reinforces filter bubbles, and limits diversity of perspectives within the digital public sphere. It argues that digital democracy depends not only on the availability of technological channels of access but, above all, on ensuring plurality, transparency, and accountability in algorithmic mediation processes. Knowledge circulation should not be reduced to a commodity subject solely to market forces; it must be treated as a public good essential to democratic citizenship. The paper concludes by underscoring the need for regulatory and institutional safeguards to ensure that algorithms serve inclusion and the strengthening of the public sphere, rather than deepening inequalities and polarizations. Reflecting on algorithmic gatekeepers is thus crucial to understanding the future of knowledge democratization in a rapidly evolving digital world.
Presenters
Sílvia de Carvalho HomemStudent, PhD Candidate in Public Legal Sciences, Researcher at JusGov - Justice and Governance Research Centre, University of Minho Law School, Portugal
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Beyond Borders: The Role of the Humanities in Reimagining Communities
KEYWORDS
Algorithms, Digital Democracy, Gatekeepers, Knowledge, Human Rights
