Constitutionalism in the Post-Truth Era: Digital Disinformation, Political Polarization, and the Crisis of Constitutional Democracy

Abstract

The development of digital technology has brought significant changes to communication patterns, information dissemination, and public involvement in democratic life. These changes have not only expanded public access to various information but also presented various new problems related to the increasing spread of inaccurate information, changes in people's political behavior, and the growing fragmentation of social views in the digital public sphere. These conditions pose increasingly complex challenges to the sustainability of constitutional democracy because they can affect the quality of public participation, the level of public trust in state institutions, and the stability of political life more broadly. This study aims to analyze the influence of developments in the digital environment on the sustainability of constitutional democracy, particularly those related to digital disinformation, political polarization, and the various challenges that arise in the post-truth era. This study uses a qualitative approach with a literature study method through the utilization of various literature sources relevant to the research focus. The results show that the development of the digital environment has changed people's information consumption patterns and influenced how people form views on various political and social issues. The spread of inaccurate information and increasing political polarization affect the quality of public participation, social relations, and the level of trust in state institutions, which can affect the stability of democratic life. Therefore, strengthening constitutional democracy needs to be done by improving the quality of public participation, strengthening the capacity of state institutions, developing adaptive policies, and increasing public literacy in facing changes in the digital information environment.