The Impact of the Internet and Social Networks on Sustainability of Liberal Democracies

Abstract

The article examines causal links between the development of Internet technologies and crisis phenomena in liberal democratic systems. Following the principles of a comparative analysis, the author compared the state of democratic institutions and mechanisms before and after total digitalization. The author analyzed the stereotype concerning liberalizing effect of social networks and confirmed the con-clusion about their ideological neutrality. The study found two main forms of destabilizing effect of the Internet and social networks on liberal democracies.