News
Reports, Publications, Projects, Blog Posts & Podcasts from the Institute
Can Quality Badges Improve Communication on Online Platforms?
A seal of approval for civil communication could promote successful public communication on online platforms while respecting users'freedoms. In their article 'Platform Badges for Civic Communication. An Interdisciplinary Discussion of a Risk Mitigation Measure Pursuant to Art.', Jan Rau, Jan-Ole Harfst and Dr. Tobias Mast examine various design options for such seals.
Global Media and Internet Concentration
The report offers a thorough overview of the development, economic importance, and market concentration of major companies in Germany's telecommunications, media, publishing, and internet sectors from 2019 to 2023. It places a particular focus on the growing dominance of digital platforms.
Are We All Living in a Filter Bubble?
In the podcast "klicksafe Asks... The Media Podcast" (episode 10, only available in German), media lawyer Dr. Stephan Dreyer says that most people are not living in a filter bubble. In fact, filter bubbles have only been scientifically proven to exist for a very small portion of the population.
Issue 4/2025 M&K published
Issue 4/2025 of our open access journal “Medien & Kommunikationswissenschaft" (M&K; Media & Communication Studies) has been published online via the platform Inlibra.
We Are Now Located at Warburgstraße 30 B!
The highlight of our anniversary year celebrating the institute's 75th birthday was our move into a new building on Warburgstraße in Hamburg! On December 1, 2025, we moved into an extensively renovated building close to the Alster that is perfectly adapted to our research and event needs.
News Usage, News Avoidance, and Digital Public Spheres
As part of Hamburg's Press Freedom Week, researchers from the HBI met with journalists to discuss the current challenges facing journalism, news avoidance, and the differences between journalism and influence.
The Climate Discourse on Social Media
The Social Media Observatory (SMO) examined the dynamics of climate discourse on social media for the Research Institute Social Cohesion's (RISC) second cohesion report. The study found that climate scepticism and misinformation are common in social media debates. However, it is evident that these views are significantly less prevalent in wider society.
DigiMeet 2025: Platform Governance and Power
What are the current developments in global platform governance? This question was explored at the Digitalisation Research and Network Meeting (DigiMeet), organized by the HBI, bidt, CAIS, and WI. Sixty doctoral and postdoctoral researchers took part in the virtual event on November 6 and presented their research.
Perspectives of Cancer Patients on Fertility Preservation Measures
Fertility preservation is a key challenge for cancer patients. A qualitative content analysis of social media posts offers insights into patient experiences and provides guidance for needs-based fertility counseling.