Berlin Science Week: Democracy Under Pressure? Digital Spaces and Disinformation

 

How is digital communication transforming our democracy. What impact do social media, disinformation and digital abuse have on have on political debates and social cohesion? And how can democratic institutions, independent journalism and civil society respond to these challenges? This public discussion event, organized by the ECDF in collaboration with the BANA guest student program at the Technische Universität Berlin as part of Berlin Science Week 2026, addresses these questions. The event brings together academia, the media, civil society and the general public to discuss the future of the democratic public sphere in the digital age.

Digital platforms are increasingly shaping how information is created, disseminated and evaluated. While they open up new opportunities for participation and networking, they simultaneously create spaces for hate speech, disinformation, and social polarization. The event opens with a keynote address (remote) by political scientist and democracy researcher Prof. Dr. Gesine Schwan, who examines the importance of trust, participation and social cohesion for a vibrant democracy.

A unique perspective on the topic is offered by the staged reading of “The Committee“. We encounter information in a wide variety of forms – ranging from facts and memories to opinions, rumors and lies. Beyond the challenge of verifying their truthfulness, there is an ethical responsibility to critically contextualize such information and question its purpose – a task made more difficult by digital technologies, though the fundamental questions involved remain deeply rooted in human nature. The play of Geoffrey Samuels named “The Committee“ explores these ethical issues as they relate to the acquisition and use of information. Set in 1980s New York, the one-act play centers on the ambitious editor of an  investigative magazine. Faced with rising personnel costs and declining subscription numbers, his life's work is on the brink of collapse. Unexpectedly, a successful businessman offers a loan to save the magazine – on the condition that the journalist abandons his professional and moral principles and ceases his investigation into an illicit matter that happens to be of significance to the financier.

The highlight of the evening is a high-profile panel discussion featuring experts from academia, journalism and civil society. Together, they will discuss how digital platforms shape political opinion, which strategies can effectively counter disinformation and digital violence and the roles played by academia, the media and democratic institutions in strengthening societal resilience. The panelists are: 

• Ronny Blaschke, sports journalist and author
• Matthias Heider, associate researcher at the Institut für Demokratie und Zivilgesellschaft, digital conflict research division
• Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, managing director of HateAid
• Prof. Dr. Philipp Staab, ECDF-Professor for Sociology of Work, Economy and Technical Change at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
• Moderation: Katja Weber, radioeins & radiodrei (rbb) and Deutschlandfunk Nova

The event explicitly invites the audience to ask questions and join the discussion. The aim is to provide orientation, highlight diverse perspectives, and reflect together on how democracy can be protected, shaped, and further developed amidst digital transformation.

The stage reading will be presented in English, followed by a panel discussion in German. Advance registration is kindly requested. 

 

Register now