News
Reports, Publications, Projects, Blog Posts & Podcasts from the Institute
France Moves toward Stricter Social Media Regulations
France's National Assembly introduced a ban on social media for children and young people under the age of 15. Stephan Dreyer finds the French approach difficult. In a statement for the Science Media Center (SMC), Dreyer explains the limited scope of action available to individual EU countries regarding bans on social networks, as well as the possible effects of such a law in France.
Health Communication
Claudia Lampert, along with Prof. Dr. Eva Baumann and Dr. Bettina Fromm, published an article in the Health Sciences handbook that provides an overview of health communication. The handbook is now in its eighth edition.
Code of X’s Algorithm Published
X (formerly Twitter) has published the source code of the software that selects and evaluates posts for the “For You” feed. It is apparent that the feed is predominantly populated by AI, the basis of whose data is unclear. In an expert opinion for the Science Media Center, Dr. Gregor Wiedemann and other experts have explained why the publication is therefore not very meaningful.
Science Communication Staff Member
The following position is available at the HBI as soon as possible: Staff member (m/f/d) in science communication with coordinating tasks at the “Research Institute Social Cohesion Hamburg (RISC)”. We look forward to hearing from you.
AI-Generated Holocaust Distortions on Social Media Platforms
AI-generated images of the Holocaust that are entirely fictitious are becoming more prevalent on social media. A January 20, 2026, report by NDR in the Hamburg Journal shows why memorial sites view this development critically. Media researcher Jan-Hinrik Schmidt explains why the number of generative AI images is currently rising.
Federal Minister Bär visits Network for Digitalisation Research in Berlin
On January 14, 2026, Federal Minister Dorothee Bär met with scientists from the Network of Institutes for Digitalisation Research (NIfD) at the Weizenbaum Institute to discuss the social impact of digitalization. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schulz participated in the exchange on behalf of the HBI.
Studies on the State of Journalism in Germany
What is the state of journalism in Germany? In her article for epd Medien, Anna von Garmissen discusses three recent studies on the state of journalism in Germany. According to von Garmissen, the findings are thought-provoking and, when considered together, should be alarming to all of us.
Platform Badges for Civic Communication
How can platforms address distortions in the digital attention economy without restricting free expression excessively? This blog post explores how new incentive structures can promote constructive communication on digital platforms and the potential of the Digital Services Act to facilitate such interventions.
Contextualized Repertoire Maps in Media Usage Research
In their article, Dr. Lisa Merten and Prof. em. Dr. Uwe Hasebrink present contextualized repertoire maps as a method for recording media repertoires based on a study on news usage and discuss their possibilities and limitations in media usage research. Their article is part of the anthology “Researching Media, Data, and Networking Practices: Methodological Concepts and Research Software.”
Event dates
Democratic Resilience and Political Communication
4. February 2026This year's conference of the “Communication and Politics” division of the German Communication Association (DGPuK) will take place in Hamburg. The aim of the annual conference is to focus attention on how political communication and political communication research can contribute to strengthening liberal democracy.
Opinion Formation among Young People in the Digital Media Environment
7. February 2026Dr. Leonie Alatassi will give the opening presentation at the Ideas Fair for Education Professionals: "Power. Media! Teach Me Media Literacy." She will discuss the current challenges and approaches to shaping the opinions of young people in the digital media environment.
Political Polarization in Digital Information Environments
10. February 2026As part of her guest residency at the Digital Media Research Centre, Queensland University of Technology, Dr. Lisa Merten will give a lecture on the connection between the diversity of online information repertoires and political polarization.
Safer Internet Day
10. February 2026Dr. Leonie Alatassi talks about media literacy and democratic competence among young people in the public podcast “Media Literacy in Schleswig-Holstein” on the occasion of Safer Internet Day 2026.
Media Beauty Ideals
11. February 2026How do children's and young people's media habits affect their upbringing and social relationships? Dr. Claudia Lampert addresses this question in the Community Call from the lernen:digital competence network, which focuses on "Likes, Looks & Suffering — Media Beauty Ideals in the Classroom."