Editorial: Democracy under siege: how actors, communication strategies, and emerging phenomena are changing the rules in the public sphere

In the contemporary digital age, democracy faces a formidable challenge: its very essence is under siege. This challenge manifests in various forms, from the rise of populism and the strategic manipulation of emotions in political discourse to the spread of disinformation across digital platforms and the tightening control of communication in non-democratic regions. The four articles featured in this Research Topic, titled “Democracy under siege: how actors, communication strategies, and emerging phenomena are changing the rules in the public sphere,” explore these phenomena, shedding light on the evolving dynamics in the public sphere and the implications for democratic governance.