Agora on the Internet: Can X’s Spaces be interpreted as a Digital Platform for Democracy?

Abstract

This paper aims to determine to what extent can X’s Spaces be considered an evolution of the Athenian Agora. Through a comparative analysis, the key characteristics of these spaces were compared, including mobility, information transfer, democracy, freedom of speech, participation, and audience. Mobility represents a remarkable difference, where the agora was physically dependent, while Spaces could be used anywhere with a smart device and Internet access. Both cases provide real-time information transfer but differ in the context of a physical and virtual presence. Agora expressed direct democracy, while Spaces could only express indirect democracy. Freedom of speech at the agora was absolute, while Spaces were limited to X’s terms of service. Participation was limited in both cases – to the slaves, women, and non-Athenian citizens at the agora, while on Spaces it depended on the host, who had absolute control. At the agora and Spaces, everyone could be part of the audience. The agora’s audience used shouting and disruption as a form of expression, while the audience on Spaces could only react through emoticons. Although there were significant differences between these platforms, such as technological and regulatory aspects, both spaces provided an environment for public debate, expression of views, and communication. However, the lack of adequate regulation of X provides additional challenges such as polarization and hate speech. The research indicates the importance of understanding the evolution of democratic spaces and their impact on society in the digital age