The Attention Economy from the Perspective of Constitutional Law

Abstract

In the contemporary world, constitutional law and the attention economy have emerged as two key concepts in legal and political analyses. Constitutional law, as a set of fundamental principles that must be preserved in democratic societies, plays a crucial role in safeguarding freedom, equality, and human dignity. The principal question of the present study is why the attention economy should be examined within Iranian public law, particularly from a constitutional law perspective. Constitutional rights constitute the foundations of democracy and social justice and encompass individual freedoms, security, welfare, and education, all of which must be respected by governments and social institutions. At the same time, this situation raises serious constitutional concerns, especially regarding privacy, freedom of expression, and individual autonomy. As an emerging phenomenon, the attention economy refers to the management and commodification of individuals’ attention in the digital age. It appears that the boundaries between its influence on individual freedoms and the authority of governmental sovereignty remain unclear. Violations arising from this phenomenon within the sphere of political rights, particularly amid ongoing social and political transformations, may endanger the civilizational ideals of humanity. The attention economy represents one of the most significant legal and social challenges of the postmodern era, increasingly shaping human relationships and establishing new political and legal dynamics. Accordingly, the extent of governmental intervention in addressing this phenomenon within the framework of constitutional law, as well as the adoption of non-expert legislative decisions, may prove highly detrimental. Conversely, leaving this issue entirely unregulated could generate irreversible harms to human rights. Therefore, the attention economy warrants extensive examination within the fields of public law and constitutional law.