What will be analysed in the talk
Itziar Castelló Molina, professor at Bayes Business School (City, University of London), presents the findings from her article published in the Journal of Management Studies, titled Social Media is a Threat to Democracy: A Political Perspective on Mitigating its Impact. In her work, Castelló examines how the business model of platforms like X, Facebook, and Instagram—based on the attention economy—prioritises emotional and polarising content, eroding the ability to build a shared understanding of "the common good". The talk does not aim to demonise technology but to open an informed dialogue on how to govern these spaces to strengthen, rather than weaken, democracy.
Who is participating
The speaker, Itziar Castelló, is an expert in sustainability and corporate responsibility, and her research focuses on the social impact of digital platforms. She will be joined in conversation by Arantxa Torres, a journalist at RTVE and former director of RTVE’s regional centre in the Valencian Community (2018-2025). Torres will bring her experience in public communication to enrich the debate.
Objective of the event
The event aims to foster collective reflection on the role of social media in shaping public debate. Proposals will be discussed for adopting a deliberative approach to analyse and transform these digital spaces, with the goal of contributing to a more robust and participatory democracy.
