Have you ever wondered how a society operates? Why do people obey some written and unwritten rules? Why do we have an order and the rule of law? That is because of the social contract. This theory was originally developed by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. It stated that a fair society is formed only when we join forces to develop laws that express the “general will.” In the era of Rousseau, this type of social order worked perfectly. But what about in today’s digitized world?
What Is the Social Contract? Rousseau’s Original Idea
To understand how the social contract works today, we should dive deeper into its original meaning. In 1762, Jean-Jacques Rousseau came up with a very important idea. He believed that if society wants to work as a whole, all its residents must follow some mutually agreed-upon rules. And that is the very essence of a social contract.
In simple terms, when following such an agreement, people voluntarily forego some personal freedoms. And as Rousseau thought, it is a very small cost for the many collective benefits they get in return. These may include better safety, cooperation, public order, and overall harmony in life. So, it is not about controlling for control, but for getting that general utility.
Rousseau developed this theory based on the concept of the general will. It is not just what most people want. It goes beyond that to understand what is best for society as a whole.
Just imagine the direct democratic process. Here, laws are enacted by citizens and are equally applied to them. And if they are applied appropriately, the general will is in act.
But now let’s consider the World Wide Web. When we register on any website, we must follow certain rules. For instance, on Instagram, we are not allowed to post any violent or harmful content, since it violates its rules. So, we can consider it a small community with its own laws.
But the important question is whether these digital laws are fair? Do they promote “the general will”? Or are they just something tech firms want to control us with?
Digital Citizenship: Are We Part of a New Online Contract?
In the same way Rousseau developed a social contract, online communities set their own terms and conditions. When you register on such online platforms, you typically click “I agree” to many terms and conditions. And it is similar to what Rousseau talked about.
But in reality, there is a big difference. Usually, we do not read anything. We click all the boxes as quickly as possible to start using our new accounts.
Rousseau believed that the theory of social contract works only in that case, when we really know and understand the essence of the deal. We must also have the ability to say “no” if we want to.
On Reddit, Discord, or Facebook, we act like citizens in a digital nation. We join groups, make friends, and follow their rules.
But did we vote for these rules? Specific companies just create them to control us and our actions. They do not show our freedoms, our choices. It’s the company employees who make every choice for us. Often, their “contracts” serve them better than they do regular people.
Rousseau wanted people to be active actors of that social contract. They should take part, vote, and help shape the general will.
However, in such digital nations, we are more spectators than engaged citizens. We never participate in any decision-making. So, in Rousseau’s view, such terms and conditions need a real reconsideration. They should include some ways for us all to participate.
The General Will vs. the Algorithmic Will
Rousseau believed that a healthy society is one where the general will is realized. We cannot just follow the wishes of those who shout loudest. Instead, we should find out what citizens think about. Then, we must debate it and agree on rules that benefit everyone,
Now, let’s think about it in the context of social media. Here, we can say not about general, but about algorithmic will. Many of the things we see are decided by computer programs that use algorithms.
In fact, these algorithms do not care about fairness or truth. They exist and do their job, and we click “I agree.” But, in many cases, they do not work out what everybody wants.
Computer programs are designed to attract more and more people. They go viral, so people lose the ability to form their own opinions. And according to Rousseau, when we lose this ability, we become easy to manipulate. So, there is a chance for algorithms.
The internet is not a place where people express their democratic will. It is a place with regular episodes of mass outrage. So, if Rousseau believed citizens should shape the laws through reasoned debate, today those rules are increasingly written by algorithms, while we quietly accept them with a click.
Freedom or Surveillance? Rethinking Liberty Online
If, with the social contract, everything is quite understandable, what about freedom? According to Rousseau, freedom does not mean being free to do whatever you want. It means governing yourself. It means living by rules that were created with your active role in this process. You are free since you have power over yourself.
Now, let’s move to the digital space. When you are online, you may feel like you are free. Here, no one knows you. You can speak your thoughts openly. You can even create an imaginative persona and join different groups.
But you may forget or even not know that website administrators are always controlling you. They watch to see if you do not violate any of their imposed rules. This is called surveillance capitalism.
Why do they need this data? Of course, to manipulate people. One great example is the ads that we see when scrolling the web. They are based on your previous search history. The system analyzes them and then suggests products you may like. So, such monitoring aims to keep individuals engaged so they see as much advertising as possible.
Based on this, are we really free online? Maybe we are controlled by “invisible hands”?
According to Rousseau, digital freedom is not real. We cannot understand the power of the forces that are shaping us. And if we don’t understand it, we are just objects of deliberate control for someone else’s benefit.
When Online Communities Break the Contract
Rousseau warned us that when society grows, inequality and selfishness rise. And that becomes a reason to reject the social contract theory. Citizens stop considering the general will. They start fighting for their glory, domination, and influence.
Let’s imagine an online forum where trolling, mob pile-ons, or outright harassment are the norm. Instead of any intellectual debate, people here cancel others out of context. They spread hate speech. These online communities become like lawless battlefields. Here, all the shared principles are disregarded, and the general will is forgone.
Rousseau believed that society can function properly only when people respect one another’s dignity and freedom. The contract is broken when respect is lost. On the Internet, it is quite easy to forget that you are conversing with real people behind the computer screen.
What would Rousseau do in this case? Perhaps the same: he would have proposed a digital social contract. Why? Because without virtue we cannot and cannot ever have a genuine community, online or off. So, if we want to co-live online, we need to treat each other as citizens, not enemies or bullies.
Can the Internet Create a New Republic?
Actually, yes, the Internet can create a new type of republic. According to Rousseau, here, people should not just obey laws but participate in their creation. Everyone should have a voice, and all decisions should lead to the general will.
But what about the internet? Could our digital spaces become modern-day republics? In fact, the process has already started. The internet is not only a place of harassment. It is a platform for discussions.
Just remember how many problems communities solved using web services. You can just post your problem on a forum, and people will share some solutions with you. You can even vote on decisions.
Yes, the Internet has many disadvantages. You can see here bullying, fake news, and surveillance. But Rousseau might say that there is great potential. We use the internet to shape, not scroll; to contribute, not consume. And we could construct online realms to benefit all of us.
With a bit of listening, a bit more voting, and a bit of kindness, perhaps the web can become what Rousseau always wanted. We can create a community where freedom and equality are not mere words.
