Searching for Public Interest on the Internet

Abstract

The new information and communication environment on the Internet is governed by private agents called Internet intermediaries. Although we could already deduce their position as mediators in communication on the Internet from the very name and the fact that their platforms are valuably neutral and technically driven by algorithms, we cannot disregard their role in disseminating information and its influence on users, which often goes beyond technical mediation itself. The purpose of the research is to point out that social networks and search engines, as Internet intermediaries, are not only techno giants but also that, in some respects, perform media-like functions, and should be approached in accordance with that role. Being the private companies, these new agents should, in addition to commercial ones, fulfill the demands of users, who are not mere consumers of their services, but also citizens. From their citizen position, the users can demand the fulfillment of the public interest, which may not or should not necessarily be identical to the traditional understanding of that particular concept, but rather conditioned by the context and environment in which a particular demand is made.