Ethics, Politics, and Social Media: The Scope of Ethical Responsibility in Political Interaction

Abstract

The paper examines the ethical dilemma of political interaction through social media, focusing on the boundaries of moral responsibility that lie with governments, private corporations, and citizens. It hypothesizes that informed understanding and free choice are prerequisites for the effectiveness of democracy and demonstrates how these values are threatened by disinformation, algorithmic targeting, filter bubbles, and the commodification of data. The paper analyses the relationship between ethics, politics, and technology, comparing idealist, realist, and deliberative approaches to the formulation of ethical standards. It concludes that protecting the digital public sphere requires achieving a balance between state sovereignty, corporate transparency, and the citizen’s responsibility for digital awareness and prudent communicative practices.