[Commlist] CfP - Confronting Technofeudalism and Digital Authoritarianism: Challenges and Solutions for the European Regulation

*C a l l    f o r   p a p e r s*
*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 /at/ tatk.elte.hu) <mailto:(ziegler.tamas /at/ tatk.elte.hu)> *_and_* 
(gosztonyi /at/ ajk.elte.hu) <mailto:(gosztonyi /at/ ajk.elte.hu)>

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

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