Kira Thiel

Research Group Growing Up in Digital Media Environments

Kira Thiel has been a research associate at the Leibniz Institute for Media Research │ Hans-Bredow Institute (HBI) since August 2019. As part of the research group “Growing Up in Digital Media Environments” she studies the diverse experiences of children and adolescents in the digital world. She is particularly interested in stress and coping, the role of social media in the opinion-forming process of young people, and related phenomena such as social media influencers and disinformation.

In addition, she is coordinating the establishment of an “International Observatory on Young People in Digitized Societies”, which focuses on the systematic observation and classification of international research on growing up in digital media environments.

Kira Thiel studied communication science (with a minor in psychology) at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and children’s and youth media at the University of Erfurt.

 

Contact information

Kira Thiel

Leibniz Institute for Media Research | Hans-Bredow-Institut (HBI)
Warburgstraße 30 B
20354 Hamburg

Last update: 14.10.2026

Works by Kira Thiel

Cover of issue 14 / 2026 of the journal "Media and Communication"
Open Access Publication

Can the Quality of Online Discussions Be Automatically Assessed—and Improved?

In their publication, Patrick Frey, Cornelius Puschmann (ZeMKI, University of Bremen), Smita Bhattacharya, and Gregor Wiedemann (HBI) explore whetherAI can measure the quality of online discussions. The study demonstrates that AI can identify violations of norms and serve as a tool for crafting counterarguments tailored to specific debates.

Cover of the current issue of the magazine “KJug” (3/2026)
New KJug Issue Has Been Published

Protecting Children and Young People in an Increasingly Digitalized World

In the latest issue of KJug, Claudia Lampert presents the EU Kids Online research consortium's findings on how children and adolescents view a potential social media ban. Kira Thiel shares insights from her dissertation, which examines how adolescents cope with problematic online experiences and the strategies they use to manage them.

Nonfiction Book Cover: No Child's Play
Recently Published!

No Child’s Play – Protecting Minors in the Digital Age

In his nonfiction book, Stephan Dreyer analyzes the complex field of youth media protection. Through his examination of legal regulations, actual usage, and technological developments, he offers valuable insights for individuals involved in this topic in the realms of practice, administration, politics, and academia.

Zwei Jugendliche, zu sehen von hinten oben, sitzen auf einer Mauer und blicken auf ein Handy
New DFG Research Project

Safeguarding Epistemic Trust in Adolescents: Conceptual Approaches and Policy Options

The interdisciplinary DFG project, “SETA: Protecting the Epistemic Trust of Adolescents: Conceptual Approaches and Policy Options,” conducted in collaboration with the Weizenbaum Institute, examines the state’s obligation to protect the epistemic trust of 13- to 17-year-olds without infringing on freedom of expression and information.

Cover des Arbeitspapiers Reuters-Bericht 2021
Report for Download

Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2021

The Reuters Institute Digital News Report, which provides an international comparison of news consumption, is being published for the tenth consecutive year.

Cover der Zeitschrift der Leibniz Gemeinschaft - Ausgabe 2/2026 zum Thema "Medizin"
Click Consultation

Consultation with Dr. Insta

The latest issue of the Leibniz Association’s magazine, which is part of the Science Year 2026, focuses on the topic of “Medicine.” Claudia Lampert, head of the Health Communication research group at the HBI, is interviewed about health influencers.

Blätter und bunte Zettel mit den Ergebnissen der Arbeiten von Gruppe 4, Gruppe 2 usw.
Article on the Media Research Blog

How Politically Empowered Do Young People Feel?

In a current project by Leonie Alatassi, students explore what political participation means to them, how it can be encouraged, and what barriers stand in the way. The first workshops show that many young people are eager to get involved. However, they need not only information, but also concrete support and opportunities to try things out and gain experience.

Bild aus der Research Clinic: eine Gruppe Menschen sitzt im Kreis und diskutiert
Report from the Research Clinic

Hype vs. Doom – How Can AI Reporting Become More Nuanced?

Public debates about AI often oscillate between technological utopianism and dystopian visions of the future. How can journalists report on a topic that is both ubiquitous and difficult to grasp in a nuanced and balanced way? A Research Clinic at the HBI explored the challenges of reporting on AI and discussed possible ways to address them.

Cover
Open Access Publication

German Public Broadcasting Corporations in the Age of Streaming Platforms and AI

In her Friedrich Ebert Foundation publication project, Magdalena Stratmann describes how public service broadcasting in Germany addresses the challenge of fulfilling its legal mandate amid drastically changed conditions in the digital information ecosystem.

Cover der Studie
Recently Published!

Exploring GPT Representation of Journalistic Culture

The study by Prof. Dr. Wiebke Loosen et al. examines how large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT can reflect journalistic value systems. To this end, the GPT-4o model was asked to answer questions from the “Worlds of Journalism Study,” which explores perceptions of journalistic roles, theories of knowledge, and ethical principles.

Historische Aufnahme des hr-Funkhauses am Dornbusch aus den 50ern
Media History Project

The History of the Regional Public Broadcasting Corporation of the Federal State of Hesse in the Postwar Period

In January 2029, the Regional Public Broadcasting Corporation of the Federal State of Hesse (Hessischer Rundfunk) will celebrate its 80th anniversary. To mark the occasion, Dr. Hans-Ulrich Wagner is conducting scholarly research on its origins. His research focuses specifically on corporate history, personnel decisions, and programming policy in the postwar period.

Cover Arbeitspapier Nr. 84
Brief Report in English

Babies and Toddlers in Monetised Social Media Profiles

Stephan Dreyer, Claudia Lampert, and Kira Thiel published an English summary of their study on babies and toddlers in family-influencing content. They present their findings on how babies and toddlers (ages 0–5) are depicted in German-language, commercially oriented social media profiles on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

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