Module: Digital Governance and Online Media Regulation

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Digital Governance and Online Media Regulation
Module Code	MCO1084
Faculty	Humanities & Social Sciences	School	Communications
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	5

Description

Digital media technologies and the internet have brought new opportunities and challenges for governance. Some argue that technology is a self-directing force that cannot be governed. Others celebrate possibilities for decentralised self-governance by online communities outside the reach of governments and corporations. Yet all of these are shaped by centralised government and corporate investment in digital technologies - from smart-phones, to social media platforms, to telecommunications infrastructure - and government regulation. This module examines the problems and possibilities for digital governance and online media regulation that arise from the interaction between communities, governments, and corporations in the creation and operation of digital media and the internet. We will study these issues through a series of lectures addressing key theories and concepts of digital governance, including issues of privacy, security, online harms, surveillance and platform content and speech regulation. Students will apply theoretical and empirical insights to contemporary case studies involving key areas of digital governance through group and individual assignments. Throughout, students will be expected to engage with a wide-range of reading materials including research articles, monographs, reports, policy documents, and in-depth media reporting.

Learning Outcomes

1. Explain relevant theories of governance and policy contexts.
2. Engage critically with different models of digital governance, and with the theoretical, political and technical aspects that underpin them.
3. Achieve a practical and actionable understanding of digital governance concepts.
4. Apply theoretical and empirical insights to case studies.
5. Develop critical responses to emerging theoretical discourses, methodologies or practices, recognise and argue for a variety of approaches to them, and suggest new ones.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	22	Lectures on key theories and practice of governance and regulation; Discussion of class material and student research projects
Independent Study	78	Independent reading of assigned and other relevant material, research and study.
Assignment Completion	25	Completing and delivering individual and group assignments
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	21405	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	100%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	N
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Tetyana Lokot	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Completion of online activity	Regular reading responses and reflections in the first part of the course, to engage critically with the provided readings.	20%	n/a
Assignment	Policy report analysis and presentation: Group or individual presentation of analyses of policy papers during the second part of the course.	30%	Week 11
Assignment	Policy Brief: A policy brief of up to 4,000 words addressing core module themes.	50%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Indicative Lecture/Seminar Content
1. Introduction. Key concepts 2. Theories of Digital Governance: Governance by community 3. Theories of Digital Governance: Governance by technology 4. Theories of Digital Governance: Governance by the state 5. Theories of Digital Governance: Governance by corporations 6. Regulation and Policymaking in Practice: The policy process. Communicating digital and tech policy 7. Regulation and Policymaking in Practice: Community and multistakeholder self-regulation in practice 8. Regulation and Policymaking in Practice: State digital media regulation in practice 9. Regulation and Policymaking in Practice: Corporate platform regulation in practice 10-11. Student case study presentations 12. Conclusion

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Laura Denardis,Derrick Cogburn,Nanette S. Levinson,Francesca Musiani: 2020, Researching Internet Governance, MIT Press, 325, 9780262539753
David D. Clark: 2023, Designing an Internet, 2nd, MIT Press, 0, 9780262547703
Milton L. Mueller: 2025, Declaring Independence in Cyberspace, MIT Press, 265, 9780262552585
Robert Gorwa: 2024, The Politics of Platform Regulation, Oxford University Press, 250, 9780197692851

Articles:

Pohle, J. & Thiel, T.: 2020, Digital Sovereignty, Internet Policy Review, 9(4), https://policyreview.info/pdf/policyreview-2020-4-1532.pdf, 524535
2016: The Myth of the Decentralised Internet, Internet Policy Review, https://doi.org/10.14763/2016.3.425, 524536, 1
The Platform Governance Triangle: Conceptualising the Informal Regulation of Online Content: Internet Policy Review, 8(2), https://policyreview.info/articles/analysis/platform-governance-triangle-conceptualising-informal-regulation-online-content, 524537, 1, Drezner, D.
Political Science Quarterly: 119(3), 477–8, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/20202392, 524538, 1, Nissenbaum, H., 2001
34(3): https://nissenbaum.tech.cornell.edu/papers/embodyvalues.pdf,

Other Resources

None

Module is approved for MSMC, should also be added to HSS PhD Pathway for Communications