News
Reports, Publications, Projects, Blog Posts & Podcasts from the Institute
How Conversations with People Who Think Differently Can Make a Difference
On the ARD talk show “What Unites Germany,” people from a wide variety of backgrounds engage in conversation with one another. As part of the project, the HBI is conducting research to determine how these discussions influence the participants’ attitudes. The initial findings are now available.
Can We Still Talk to Each Other?
In a two-day experiment, ARD invited 84 people to engage in an open discussion with one another on camera, transcending differences in age, background, and political views. The HBI is supporting the initiative with a multi-part survey. Jan-Hinrik Schmidt examined how participants rated the dialogue project and what they took away from it.
Visualizing Regulatory Ecosystems: The AI Act as a Case Study
The article by Magdalena Stratmann, Tobias Mast, and others was developed as part of the STEAM project, "Informing Regulatory Reasoning on Algorithmic Systems in Societal Communication with STEAM." It introduces Architectural Ecosystem Modeling, a visual method that makes the institutional structures of the AI Act visible. This method analyzes responsibilities and dependencies and identifies gaps, overlaps, and opportunities for coordination within the regulatory framework.
Practices of News Avoidance and Their Implications for Public Connection
What are the effects of news avoidance on belonging to different publics and on political participation? And to what extent do these dynamics contribute to the fragmentation of public spheres? This study examines the effects of different practices of news avoidance on individuals‘ public connection.
Podcasts: Actors, Topics, and Misinformation
As audio media, such as podcasts, become more widely used, the risks of them distributing misinformation, disinformation, and fake news increase. The collaborative project “Systematic Observation of New Auditive Risks” (SONAR) examines the structure of online audio media offerings and develops methods for identifying relevant narratives and manipulation strategies.
That Was Our Open House
On Friday, April 17, we opened our doors to our supporters and partners, as well as to our new neighbors. We truly enjoyed presenting our research activities and outreach programs, as well as giving visitors a firsthand experience of our new location, which is designed for agile working methods and cutting-edge research.
Thoughts on the Debate Over Media Bans
Dr. Claudia Lampert, together with Klaus Lutz (Parabol Media Center), edited the latest issue of the media education journal “merz” (2/2026). The issue is titled “Everything Under Control? Thoughts on the Debate Over Media Bans.” Dr. Stephan Dreyer also contributed an article.
Annual Report 2023-2025
Evaluation, growth, our 75th anniversary, and a new building. The years from 2023 to 2025 were challenging yet fruitful. Our research output was impressive, and our social impact was significant. This annual report provides a brief overview of our activities.
Determinants of Verification Behavior in Generative Search
Generative AI is being increasingly integrated into search engines, but it has been criticized for producing content that sounds plausible yet is sometimes inaccurate. Little is currently known about the factors that prompt users to verify these responses. The study by Eva-Luise Knor, Michael V. Reiss, Judith Möller, and Lisa Merten addresses this knowledge gap.
Event dates
HH Media Symposium
Where Search and AI Converge – and the Media Might Fall Silent
25. June 2026What impact will the convergence of traditional internet search and generative artificial intelligence have on the information ecosystem? This question will be discussed at the 16th Hamburg Media Symposium, which is organized by the HBI, the Media Authority of Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein (MA HSH), and the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce. More information about the program will be available shortly.
Annual Conference of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR)
1. July 2026At the annual conference of the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) in Galway, Jan Rau, Jan-Ole Harfst, and Tobias Mast will give a presentation on "Platform Badges for Civic Communication: An Interdisciplinary Discussion of a Risk Mitigation Measure Pursuant to Art. 35 DSA."