Abstract

Internet and social networks have significantly changed how citizens/users get informed and they way the consensus is formed due, in particular, to big data profiling. This essay analyzes how these transformations have contributed to the rise of populist movements and how they aim to take advantage of the new technologies to launch forms of online direct democracy. Once the problems surrounding such potential developments, and linked to the inherent value of mechanisms of representation, have been examined, the essay provides some final remarks on the recent constitutional amendments bill in matter of popular legislative initiative.