Order Formation

Communication spaces do not emerge on their own. They are shaped—by law, technology, social practices, economic interests, and institutional decisions. The “Order Formation” research group examines how rules emerge in such communication spaces, who is involved in shaping them, and how responsibility, power, and legitimacy are distributed.

The starting point is the observation that communication today takes place within complex ecosystems. Platforms set rules for content and behavior. Governments establish legal frameworks. Users develop their own practices. Companies design technical infrastructures. Civil society, academia, and the media play a role in monitoring, critiquing, and shaping these spaces.

The research group asks how order emerges from this interplay—and how this order can be aligned with democratic values, fundamental rights, and the common good.

In doing so, it combines three perspectives.

• First, it focuses on structures: What legal, technical, and social frameworks shape communication spaces?
• Second, it focuses on processes: How do rules emerge, how are they enforced, and how do they change?
• Third, it concerns actors: Who makes decisions, who is affected, who bears responsibility, and who holds power?

These questions are examined at the national, European, and global levels. A key focus is on European platform regulation, particularly the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act.

Photo by Sasun Bughdaryan/Unsplash