CALL FOR PAPERS

Confronting Technofeudalism and Digital Authoritarianism: Challenges and Solutions for the European Regulation

Digital Authoritarianism Research Lab (DARL) invites scholars, researchers, and practitioners to submit papers for its upcoming annual conference on the intersections of technofeudalism, digital authoritarianism, and the European Union’s regulatory efforts in the digital sphere.

As we navigate the complexities of the digital age, the European Union wants to play a pivotal role in shaping a democratic and humane digital future. The rise of technofeudalism – where dominant tech corporations exert disproportionate control over digital infrastructures – and the spread of digital authoritarian practices challenge fundamental rights, democratic governance, and individual autonomy. The conference critically examines these dynamics and assesses how EU policies, such as DSA, DMA, GDPR, and initiatives under Europe’s Digital Decade, address these pressing issues.

In addition to these regulatory developments, the conference will explore the rapidly evolving impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies on democratic institutions and authoritarian regimes. As AI becomes a core infrastructure of governance, surveillance, and content moderation, it brings new risks for civil liberties, human rights, and political manipulation, particularly when embedded in systems of power that lack transparency and accountability.

We welcome submissions addressing, but not limited to, the following topics:

The EU’s digital sovereignty initiatives and their impact on technofeudalism

The role of digital technologies in empowering authoritarianism and weakening democracy

Algorithmic governance and its effects on free speech and user-generated content

EU regulatory frameworks and their effectiveness in combating digital authoritarianism

Strategies for enhancing transparency and accountability in digital governance

Strategies limiting the dominance of tech companies

The tension between privacy protection and the free flow of information across borders

Future of online content moderation as a tool of repression

Advantages and disadvantages of the possible Brussels effect in the digital sphere

The global rise of digital authoritarianism

The role of AI models in enabling or resisting digital authoritarianism

AI-driven surveillance and predictive technologies

Building resilient AI systems in democracies: transparency, contestability, and fundamental rights by design

Submissions should critically examine the EU’s approach to regulating the online sphere and propose innovative solutions for balancing technological progress with democratic values and individual rights.

Date: October 17, 2025 (Friday)
Venue: Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Faculty of Law (Budapest, Egyetem tér 1-3, 1053)
Deadline for abstract submission (maximum 300 words without references): June 17, 2025
Notification of acceptance for the conference: July 17, 2025
Deadline for full paper submission: October 1, 2025

Abstracts – alongside a short bio and affiliations – should be sent to ziegler.tamas@tatk.elte.hu and gosztonyi@ajk.elte.hu

Digital Authoritarianism Research Lab (DARL) could provide accommodation grants on a need-based basis.