This year’s Digitalisation Research Seminar, taking place on 21–22 September 2026 in Berlin, is dedicated to the topic of ‘Balancing Digital Safety between Risks, Rights, and Regulation’. It will focus on the interdisciplinary field of digital safety research and the societal risks of digital technologies, including biases in artificial intelligence, disinformation, and the protection of vulnerable groups, as well as the regulation of digital platforms. The seminar provides an opportunity for young researchers to present their work and engage in interdisciplinary discussion. It is organised by the HBI, the Weizenbaum Institute (WI), the Bavarian Research Institute for Digital Transformation (bidt), and the Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS).
Program
Monday, 21 September 2026
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Arrival and Lunch
2:00 p.m. – 2:20 p.m.: Welcome by the Organisers
2:20 p.m. – 3:20 p.m.: Keynote Talk: AI and the Safety Paradox: Convenience, Control, or Compromise? | Prof. Lena Kästner (University of Bayreuth/bidt project PI)
3:20 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.: Coffee Break
3:45 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.: Session 1 – Risks of Using AI on Bias and Decision Making
5:45 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.: Refreshments
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.: Poster Pitches & Poster Session
7:00 p.m.: Welcome Reception & Networking
Tuesday, 22 September 2026
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.: Session 2 – Protection of Vulnerable Groups in the Digital Space
10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.: Coffee Break
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.: Keynote-Vortrag: Cyber-Resilience: Bridging Consumer Protection, Smart Hardware, and the AI Frontier | Dr. Jens Karschau (Federal Office for Information Security)
12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.: Lunch Break
12:45 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.: Session 3 – Regulation of Social Media for Human and Societal Safety
2:15 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.: Closing Remarks
