Rethinking political communication in the digital sphere

Twenty-five years after the first emergence of the Internet in its World Wide Web format, the nexus between the digital sphere and the political communication sphere is no longer disputed. This paper examines the vibrant changes of the relationships between the digital sphere and political communication from the mid-1990s till today. We highlight four stages in this evolving linkage, the last of which is still going through its initial formation process. We will examine this fourth phase as a continuation of an evolutionary process, with a special focus on the ‘fake news’ phenomenon. Finally, we suggest that the shifts currently underway may warrant a reexamination by communication scholars of early communication theories.