It is also being debated how to address the current situation where a few private companies “have global control over the flow of information and are thus in a position to shape the political discourse and opinion formation” and who as owners of the information superhighways “are powerful and deregulated enough to dictate conditions on social, individual and political freedoms”. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has recently called on member states “to break up the monopoly of tech companies controlling, to a great extent, citizen’s access to information and data” in order to ensure an “open and free internet” which “serves the purpose of the voters to become more informed and engaged.” The Venice Commission supports this appeal. Principle 8 regarding the adoption of self-regulatory mechanisms expands on this matter.